Open To Suggestion
by PanicButton
Summary: AU from my other fics.  ReidOC. A new profiler joins the team and things start to turn a bit strange for Reid.
1. Chapter 1

**Open To Suggestion **

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

**A/N: Totally AU to anything else I have written except maybe for a oneshot I did a little while ago. This is an experiment. Please read and review Thank you !! **

**N.B: this takes place after Gideon leaves and before Rossi arrives.**

With Gideon now gone it was time to bring in a new member to make up the numbers in the team. They knew very little about the new comer. He was an expert in sexual sadistic crimes, but his background was foggy. They were sure that the powers who be knew all they needed to know, but Derek and Emily needed to know more and it frustrated them that they didn't.

Garcia had a snoop too, but came up with nothing other than a name and date of birth and country of origin. At this stage they didn't even know what he looked like.

There was a case though, so meeting the new guy would have to wait for now. There had been a couple of murders and a bit of arson involved and now they had to go out to an apartment block where the unsub had a hostage and was going to throw him and her both off the roof into the parking lot below.

Hotch was going to attempt to talk the unsub off the roof and took Reid and Prentiss with him. JJ was going out to assist with the media side of stuff, and Morgan was looking into why he had chosen this particular person on this cold foggy afternoon.

"Hey Spence." JJ said as she walked by Reid and ran her hand down his arm.

Damnit – why was she so touchy feely with him? He hated it. She really should keep her hands to herself. He liked her and everything but please JJ hands off. She felt him pull away from her and she smiled. So cute the way he did that. Always hiding his feelings. She knew he more than liked her. The way he flushed when she was too close. The way he had asked her to the game that time, and then too shy to ask her out again. Too shy even to hold her hand. Kept his eyes fixed on the players so he didn't have to see her looking at him. So cute, and it just made her more determined to get more than a 'hello' from the resident genius.

Hotch watched the little exchange between the two of them and smiled. JJ for all her smarts was sometimes a bit dense. He walked over on the way to the elevators and touched Spencer on the shoulder.

"Ready?" Reid looked at him and smiled and nodded.

He picked up his messenger bag and chucked it over his shoulder and Aaron watched him walk his walk to the elevators smiling inside, and then followed.

It was one of those times where everyone went to press the same button at the same time. Reid got to it first, followed by Hotch, followed by JJ. She snapped her hand quickly away from Hotch who's hand lingered slightly longer than maybe it should have over Spencer's – who gave a nervous little smile and then stuffed his hands in his pockets.

…………..

Hotch managed well and the bloke came down off the roof and everyone was happy – except the bloke who then got arrested for murder and arson and for taking a hostage – apart from him everyone was happy. They all walked chattering back into the office and dumped down folders and bags onto desks and over the backs of chairs.

Reid had already read all he needed to whilst in the elevator on the way up, so took the time to quickly go to the men's room to freshen up and sort out his hair which was all over the place today.

His eyes were stinging a bit. It had been a tad windy which was probably why his hair was trying to stand on end. He pulled a comb out of his pocket and carefully tried to ease it back into some kind of normality. Then he leaned forward and inspected his eyes in the mirror. Red rimmed and ick. He looked very tired. He felt tired. Nightmares keeping him awake again. He stared into the depths of his eyes as if he could see what the nightmare had been about. He couldn't remember now. But it was a smell and there was pain, and there was a lot of fear. He had started to have a small drink of something before bed to try to get them to stop, but it wasn't working.

"Hey." The voice came from behind him and was so close it made him jump. He spun around to be almost nose to nose with an equally tall dark haired man. "Didn't mean to make you jump." And he smiled and there was something weirdly familiar about it.

"Y y you d didn't." and Reid tried to slide past him.

"I saw you do a talk. Interesting presentation." And he was still smiling at Reid. "I could maybe help you out there a bit."

"Out - out where?" Fiddling with something in his pocket.

"With your presentations. Do I make you nervous?" He stepped back a bit from the young profiler and looked him up and down. "I could help you out with a lot I think."

"I I think y y you have m m mistaken me for – for s s someone else." His hands now twisting in front of him.

The stranger took a half bow and stepped right back away from Spencer. "I am so sorry I didn't mean to alarm you. You are Dr Reid though aren't you?"

"Y you haven't alarmed m m me." Backing away towards the door. "I am Dr Reid, yes." And he was out of the door letting it slam behind him. The stranger followed him out and the two of them looked up at Hotch who smiled at them both.

"Good." He said. "You have met Dr Reid?"

"Ah yes I have."

Hotch looked at Reid. "We are going to the bar for a quick drink," gesturing to the dark haired guy, "Want to join us?"

"The – the b b bar?"

……………..

He liked the look of this young Dr. There was definitely something about him. When Aaron had first told him about this lad he thought it too good to be true – working with someone like that was awesome, but now he had seen him too. Well he wasn't what he had expected. He had made a point of going to see him do a talk at the local uni, but even then he didn't notice the full impact of this man. He just seemed very young and very inexperienced, and odd.

He still seemed odd, but the inexperience now intrigued him. The odd mannerisms, they way he walked, the way he stood, the way he wore his watch, his odd socks. Yes he had taken it all in and devoured it. Now it was time to see how open to suggestion this young man was.

"So you are dating JJ?" he suddenly asked Spencer.

"What? Who – who told you th th that?!" He looked genuinely horrified. "No – no I am not dating JJ." He was shaking his head and twisting his fingers together.

"Oh – I just had the feeling you were. You know two young good looking people working together; it seemed obvious that you would be dating her. Emily then?"

"Oh – did Hotch put you up to this?" and Reid glared at his boss.

"Absolutely not – just assumed – wrongly – twice in the same day; though I have my suspicions that my first guess was the correct one."

Reid stared at him. "You were hitting on me in the men's room?"

Hotch suddenly stood up. "Right I'm off, I will see you two in the morning." And he started to walk off

"Hotch! Aaron, wait." Reid was on his feet too. "Where are you going?"

"Home to my wife Spencer. You stay and have a chat."

"But.."

And Hotch was gone.

He turned back to look at his companion for the night.

"So Spence – you don't mind me calling you Spence do you?"

"Erm – no – no I don't mind." He sat down again and smiled and then smirked. "You were hitting on me weren't you?"

"Just testing the water Spence."

"So your interest is sexual sadists?" Reid said – not being able to think of anything else to say.

"I have an enormous interest in sexual sadists and predators, Spence. I also specialise in masochism. Though that is more personal than work based." He was grinning broadly at Spencer.

………….

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

**Please show them your support and stop Criminal Minds getting cancelled this season !!!!**

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_**This is the opening chapter of a new story. Please R&R so I now if I should continue or remove. Thank you very much!**_


	2. Chapter 2 Nightmares and Alcohol

Nightmares and Alcohol

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine. **Floyd IS!**

Reid was at work nice and early as normal. But he looked very tired.

He stood looking at the coffee mug for over five minutes. Morgan timed him and then walked over to see what was bothering the genius.

"Hey kid – you alright there?" Morgan picked up a mug to pour his own drink.

The mug flew out of Reid's hands and smashed on the floor. A sharp intake of breath.

"Didn't mean to make you jump." Morgan grinned at the stunned looking Reid. Another voice came from over Morgan's shoulder.

"He is a jumpy little thing isn't he?" The new guy.

Reid turned scarlet and bent down to pick broken crockery up off the floor.

JJ wandered over and ruffled Reid's hair. He did a quick nervous grin at her and tried to get his hair back in order again. Darn woman touching him again. He hated people touching his hair! Well not always, and a quick secret grin which JJ saw and she smiled back.

"You OK?" her voice really grated on him. "Hotch is ready for us. I think we are going to get a formal introduction to our new team member." And her smile flashed at the new guy who didn't even notice her.

………………

They took places around the round table and newbie stood next to Hotch.

"This is our new sexual crimes expert. He has a lot of experience in the field. Agent Flanders, would you like to introduce yourself?"

"NO no – I think it far better they get to know me – you know as we go along. No preconceived ideas that way." He glanced over to Spencer who seemed very wriggly this morning. "Don't you agree Dr Reid?"

Reid felt his face get very hot so he kept his eyes off Flanders and on Hotch, then away from Hotch who was smiling and to Morgan, who was looking at him too, and then back to his hands which seemed to have a life of their own today. Last night too come to think of it. He suddenly stood up.

"Excuse – excuse m m me." and he was out of the room in a clumsy furniture bumping rush.

"What was that all about?" JJ asked. "I'll go and see if he is alright." And JJ was up and leaving the room too.

"JJ sweet heart." She stopped in her tracks. "Do you mind if I go? A chance to get to know the team."

A little frown swept over her face. "Sweet heart? I know him Agent Flanders, I will go. Thank you for the offer." And she too was out of the room.

……………

Reid sat at his desk with his head in his hands. He was shaking. JJ ran her hand down his back "Are you OK Spence?"

He stood up so quickly that the blood couldn't keep up and he nearly fell over with a crazy dose of the dizzies. "JJ, you made me jump. Don't do that."

"You really don't look very well Spence. Can I get you anything?"

He nodded. "I didn't get my coffee this morning. I think I need sugar."

Reid sat down again while JJ smiling to herself walked over to get her hearts desire a mug of sugar and coffee. He pick up a pen and started to fill in paper work from the day before when he other team members wandered over to their desks. Flanders had a desk over the other side of Morgan and had his head down doing some paperwork of his own.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, until it was time to go again in the afternoon.

"Drinks again Reid?" Hotch asked. He was attempting to get him to socialise a bit more and be more relaxed, and maybe even have a spontaneous conversation with someone about something other than the case or Starwars/Trek. Hotch looked over at Morgan who gave a nod then over at Flanders who also nodded a yes for drinks.

So now he couldn't really escape could he? Reid nodded a yes and started to tidy up his desk. He really didn't want to be left alone with Flanders again. He found him a bit unsettling. A bit to clever. A bit to familiar. Spencer didn't like this new person coming in and upsetting the equilibrium, but he was just going to have to get used to it.

They sat in the same bar as the night before. Reid had his soda in front of him and the others all had something a bit harder. Flanders was a smoker and lit up a nasty smelling brown thing and sat back relaxed listening to the chat between Morgan and Hotch. Reid was listening but not joining in. He was tired and just wanted to go home and read a book and have a bath then sleep. Well after a night cap that is. Not that it worked last night. After escaping from Flanders he had gone home and hardly slept at all. The nightmares were getting worse.

He looked around at the team members. "I think I will go."

"Reid, wait up." Morgan said. "Give me five minutes and I will drive you home."

So he sat down again, all the time feeling more and more self conscious – almost like someone was prying into his mind. Having a sneak around in his thoughts.

…………….

Reid sat next to Morgan in the car and stared out of the side window. He was seriously thinking of foregoing the bath for a quick shower tonight then curling up with a book to read. Well a book and a big drink of something. He sighed at the thought of having to sleep. Life would be so much easier if you didn't have to.

"What you thinking about Reid. Something bothering you?" Derek had noticed the unease in Reid all night. Sure he was never chatty unless it was a topic he could recite stuff on, but something else seemed wrong.

"Just tired." And another sigh. "I haven't been sleeping well. Nightmares again."

"If you need to talk to someone about it, you know I am always here to listen don't you?" He pulled up in front of Reid's apartment.

"I know, thank you Morgan. Not really anything to say though, except I am tired."

…………..

Reid's place was functional. Hall way with hardly used kitchen leading off it. Then a bathroom, then a bedroom and the hallway finally opened up to a large room with book shelves around three walls. Heavy drapes covered the windows and a big brown leather armchair stood facing a small television with a coffee table between the two. Over by the window was desk and a place for his laptop, and a telephone standing alone. It was tidy and it was home. He dumped his bag in the hall and walked slowly to the bathroom. A shower tonight – soaking in the tub was risking falling asleep in it and he had done that before and had a nightmare. Not the best place to wake up screaming. So he showered – pulled on his blue robe, went to the lounge and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. He sat and drank and looked into space until he fell asleep.

…………..

Flanders place was small. A bedsit. It had no furniture except for a mattress on the floor in the corner and a small wooden chair against a wall. He had no television. He had no cooking supplies. He had books. Hundreds of books pilled one on top of the other. Old books and new books. Tech manuals and novels, poetry and plays dog eared and read.

He pulled off his suit and picked up a random book off the floor. He picked up a bottle of whiskey and a crystal cut tumbler and poured a healthy amount and did a silent salute to someone in his mind. Looking down at the book he opened it at the first page. Just over ten minutes later he sighed, closed the book on the final page and threw it across the room to join a pile of discarded books.

…………….

Reid woke up screaming. The alcohol didn't seem to be stopping the nightmares, just made sure when he woke up in a sweat screaming that he had a headache too. He wobbled his way to the bathroom and took down the painkillers from the shelf. He didn't like to take them but right now he needed to do something. It was three in the morning. He had managed two hours sleep tonight. Wonderful! Bloody marvellous. He crunched down on a couple of headache pills and then returned to the lounge. He didn't want to lay down on his bed. He didn't want to sit on the chair. He decided to start sorting out his books.

By seven in the morning he had removed every book he owned from the shelves and had made neat piles around his room. He sat down and had a congratulatory drink, and then got ready for work. Desperate teeth cleaning and loads of mouth wash to get rid of the smell then sucking on a mint. He pulled on the same clothes he had been wearing the day before and left for work.

He was late.

………………..


	3. Chapter 3 The Men's Room

The Men's Room

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine. Floyd is.

They were already sitting in the roundtable room when Reid arrived, looking very worse for wear. He flopped down on a chair and pulled open his bag, fiddled with some things then noticed it had gone very quiet. He looked up to see everyone looking at him.

Hotch looked at his watch and then at Reid.

JJ was looking, well like JJ.

Prentiss looked at Reid then at her fingernails.

Morgan was just staring.

Flanders was grinning.

"What?" Reid finally said.

"You OK?" from Morgan. "You look worse than you did yesterday."

"I am great. Just not sleeping – we have a case?"

He saw Morgan look at Hotch

"What? I am late for the first time ever and you all look at me like I have done something criminal."

"Not the first time you have been late Reid." Hotch was looking worried. "I think maybe someone needs to take you home so you can get the sleep you are missing out on."

"I can't sleep and I have a headache. I don't need to go home." He knew exactly what they were thinking and they were wrong but Morgan was still staring and Flanders was still grinning. He looked down at his messenger bag and stood up throwing it on the table. "Search it then. You won't find anything." He walked out of the roundtable with JJ hot on his heals.

"Spence." She followed him towards the men's room. "Slow down, talk to me."

Reid spun on her, and his head span for a bit longer than this body did. He put a hand out to steady himself. "What? What do you want JJ?"

"To help. What's going on?" She had that sickly worried look on her face.

"Nothing is going on JJ. I am not sleeping. I have a headache. There is nothing else." And slowly this time he turned back towards the men's room. He felt her hand touch his shoulder.

"Spence."

"Don't touch me JJ. Please stop touching me. I don't feel comfortable with it." Her hand leapt back off him.

"I'm Sorry. I thought………" But he was walking away leaving JJ standing looking and feeling confused. Had Reid just blown her off? It felt like it. No one ever did that to her.

…………………

He hit the stall door at a lumbering run and slammed it shut behind him. He put his back to the door and slid down to sit on the floor. He pulled his knees up close and wrapped his arms around them. He was so sleepy and he knew he was probably still under the influence of the drink he had the night before, and was very badly hung over. Reid bent his head so his chin rested on his knees and closed his eyes. Just a bit of a rest, then back out to face them again.

He suddenly sat up and the sound of a crash and someone jumping down onto the floor next to him.

Flanders had climbed over the stall wall and was now crouched down next to him.

"We have to stop meeting this way." A smile

"What way?" Reid looked confused. "What are you doing?" Flanders pushed Reid's hair off his face.

"Just making sure you are alright. You've been in here for half an hour. You look like you could do with something. Something for that headache."

"I I I took something for the headache. You can only take two every four hours. I have one hour fifteen minutes and thirty five seconds before I can have another two."

"I see. Then try this." Flanders pulled out a small hip flask. "Hair of the dog." The unscrewed the cap and waved it under Spencer's nose.

"We are at work." He started to stand up.

"You are already half cut Spencer. One sip won't make the difference. Then I will drive you home." He stood up and leaned a hand against the door trapping Spencer between him and the door.

"M m morgan will take me home." He blinked at Flanders who was now leaning on him. He took a drink from the flask.

"Morgan will smell that on you." He took it away from him again. "He already suspects something. You need to switch to vodka Spence. It is far easier to conceal the lingering smell of alcoholism with vodka."

He pushed Flanders away from him. "I am not an alcoholic! I just- I just – needed to sleep."

"Let me take you home Spence. Please? I would love to get to know you better."

"Are you hitting on me again?" A confused look on Reid's face.

"No – no – you made it quite clear. I'm not one to push myself on someone Spence. Just offering to help - As the new guy – trying to get to know you."

"Then thank you. I do think I need to go home and sleep. If the offer for a ride is still on."

"Oh yes, definitely – the offer is still there Spence." And there was that unsettling smile again. "I will let Hotch know."

…………….

Flanders drove a beaten up old van. It was tidy, just very old. When they got to Reid's place he pulled up and left the engine running. Spencer got out carefully, realising now just how unsteady he did feel. He was sure he didn't feel this drunk when he went to work. He was feeling worse. Flanders stayed in the van and watched Reid stumble towards the main entrance of his place. He waited until he saw Reid fall down to his hands and knees before turning off the engine and reaching over to the back of the seat and pulling out a bottle. He slowly got out of the van and locked it and then walked to Spencer who was still kneeling on the step at the front of his apartment block.

"Let me help you Spence."

"I'll be fine when I can stand up."

"Mind if I stand and watch that?"

Reid tried but his co-ordination was suddenly so shot he couldn't even remember how to go about standing. He felt a hand on his arm. "I can do it."

"I don't think you can. Come on Spence, what do you think I am going to do to you? I am a Federal Agent, not an UNSUB or a boy you picked up off the streets."

He turned his head and looked at this strange new Agent and sighed. "OK, thank you. I don't pick up boys off the streets."

"Of course you don't."

Reid felt the arms helping him up onto his feet and guiding him to his door. He couldn't see the grin on Flanders' face. "I feel so ill."

"You don't look too hot Spence. Straight to bed for you I think."

Reid struggled to find his keys. His hands were shaking and he was sweating. Flanders took the keys from his hands and unlocked the apartment door for him.

He half dragged a now nearly unconscious Reid to his bedroom and dumped him on his bed.

"Don't move. I will be right back."

Flanders went back to the main door and closed and locked it and then reset the alarm. He went back to Reid's room and stood looking around him.

He had seen this room many times before from behind the fog of dreams. Thick dark blue drapes cutting out all the light. Heavy dark chest of drawers and a big old wardrobe. The double bed was against the off white wall and the floor was varnished boards. There were a scattering of books around on the floor and a pile of papers on top of the chest of drawers, but he wasn't really interested in any of that. His only interest was laying asleep on the bed.

Flanders walked over to Reid and flipped him over so he was laying on his back. He pulled his shoes off and put them over by the wardrobe, then slowly relieved Spencer of his shirt.

"I think I best stay here with you Spence. Don't want you having nightmares." He flipped open his phone and speed dialled. "Hotch, its Flanders, yes he is home – no he doesn't look so hot – I will stay with him for a while and make sure he sleeps – yes just paperwork and I wasn't there so no – fine I will call back later." And he turned off the phone.

Permission to stay with Spence.

Lovely.

Flanders picked up the bottle he had taken from the van and opened it up. He then took the small flask Reid had drunk out of earlier and added it to the Vodka. He grinned.

"Silly Spence."

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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	4. Chapter 4 Reach Out

Reach Out

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine. Floyd Flanders is.

Flanders sat down on the big bed next to Spencer and looked at his face. Content and relaxed. It won't last. The nightmares will take that look off his face, but not yet. He gently pushed Reid's hair off his face and ran a thumb along his bottom lip. He moved his hand along his jawline and down over his neck. His fingers paused on this throat then carried on down to his chest, but Flanders eyes didn't leave Spencer's throat. He leaned over and very gently kissed the sleeping Spencer on the mouth. Then whispered in his ear. "You will need me."

He stood up and looked down at his Spence. "I'll be right back again. Need a coffee, and then we can start you on a nice little bit of sleep time terror."

He pulled on a pair of blue latex gloves.

Flanders stood and looked around Spencer's cold hardly used kitchen he had top of the range coffee machine and a toaster. That seemed to be it. He turned the coffee on, but there was no bread for the toaster. Milk in the fridge and sugar in a bowl – Spencer wasn't a man who spent much time in the kitchen. He took a tumbler out of his cupboard, then went to Reid's lounge and found his stash or whisky bottles. Returning to the kitchen he poured a small drop into the tumbler and swilled it around. Very carefully he poured out a small amount of the drink onto the work surface then stood thinking. He took the tumbler and bottle back to the bedroom and ran the tumbler over Spencer's lips, and then wrapped his fingers around the tumbler. Flanders then did the same with the bottle.

He returned the two items to the kitchen and placed the tumbler in the puddle of drink and set the bottle down next to it, letting the bottle lid drop to the floor. He poured the milk down the drain and opened the coffee making the contents spill over the counter and floor. Flanders then did the same with the sugar.

A bit of a mess.

It looked good.

……………..

Flanders stood by the bed and smiled as he saw the expression on Reid's face change. It went from lovable and peaceful to one of complete terror in the space of about five seconds. He stood closer to the bed still smiling as Spencer thrashed around on the bed screaming and clawing at his throat, and soon as it started it stopped again. Flanders let out a happy sigh.

He stayed with Spencer for another hour, just sitting watching. He watched as Reid turned over onto his side curled up hugging himself. He watched his eye lids twitch as he dreamed unknown dreams. He watched and he remembered. Later he would take the memories home and sit and recall them. He opened his phone and called Hotch again.

"He is sleeping – do you want me back at the office? – Yu hu – I will see you tomorrow then." And he closed his phone then turned back to the slumbering Spencer. "Going to love you and leave you now. Call if you need me – and you will need me. Maybe not yet, but you will."

………………..

When he finally awoke he was laying on his back again. He looked over at the small clock on the chest of drawers but his vision was foggy and he couldn't see what the time was. He sat up slowly and clutched the side of his head. He felt ill. He felt very ill. Too ill in fact to make it to the bathroom as he leaned over the side of the bed and vomited on to his varnished floor. Carefully he crawled to the bottom of his bed and slid off trying to stand up. The room was swimming around him, and he still couldn't focus properly. It was most likely because he didn't have his glasses on, but they were in his messenger bag somewhere, he couldn't remember where. He couldn't remember coming home either. How the hell did he get home from work?

Reid felt cold. He sat on the end of his bed shivering trying to think what had happened. Vague memories of talking to Flanders in the men's room. Was that today though? What time was it? He staggered to his chest of drawers and pulled open a drawer and dragged out something warm to put on. A green cardy.

He walked to the kitchen. Coffee – a sweet strong coffee was needed. Spencer stood and looked at the mess him his kitchen. "What the hell?" He looked at the coffee over the counters and floor, at the sugar, and the machine working away with nothing in it. His eyes then fixed on the bottle and tumbler. "Oh god. What did I do?"

With shaking hands he picked up the bottle and tumbler. He sniffed the contents of the bottle. Whisky. Some memory of being told to try vodka. Did he see some in the bedroom? Had he gone out and bought vodka? He couldn't remember doing that. He needed to call someone. Try to work out what had happened. First though he needed to have a quick drink – just a sip – just to stop the shaking, then he could start to clear up the mess he had made.

He poured some whisky into the tumbler. The vodka was way back in this bedroom. Too far away to think of going right now. The small sip was just a small sip and it didn't seem to steady him at all. Carefully he replaced the item on the counter and staggered to the lounge. He grabbed his house phone off the small desk on the way and flopped down into his chair. The room was dark, but the side lamp was on. He sat trying to gather his thoughts together and fell asleep again.

Spencer had a dream about running away from something in a forest. He could feel something catching at his heals as he ran – snagging at his hair – calling his name. In his dream the thing caught up with him and grabbed him by the belt. He turned around at an impossibly slow speed to see blonde hair and blue eyes. The phone ringing woke him up with a small squeal. He looked down at the house phone clutched in his hand. Caller ID let him know it was Hotch.

"Hello" He said in a small voice.

"Reid – you are late for work. Your cell phone is turned off. What is going on?"

Late for work?

"I I will be there s s soon."

"If you are unwell – stay at home. Flanders said you were not looking too good yesterday."

"Flanders d d did?"

"Yes, after he took you home. Spencer go to bed."

"Yes – I will. Thank you Hotch."

"Do you need anything? You have food there? I can send something over."

Reid had a look at the state of his place. The books still all over the floor, a mess in the kitchen, booze and vomit in his bedroom. No he needed no help here. Just needed to clean up and all will be back to normal.

"I'm fine thanks Hotch. Just so tired."

"Very well. I will come over later to check up on you."

"No need really." He didn't need Hotch to see this. How could he explain something he couldn't even remember?

He didn't go to bed. He stayed sitting on his chair. He didn't tidy up; his head was still swimming too much for that. He dreaded to think how much he must have drunk the day before, and to have no memory of it was more than a bit worrying. No more drinking. He must stop this stupid routine of a drink before bedtime before it gets out of control.

…………

Flanders sat at his desk filling out paper work and looking through files he was told to get to know. Morgan looked over at him.

"So Flanders, where were you before you came to us? Your background is a bit sketchy."

"It's not in my personnel file?" He didn't bother looking at Derek. "If the information is not public knowledge then maybe it is for a reason? Do you not have secrets Derek Morgan?"

"I wasn't talking about secrets. I was talking about where you are from. Your past career." Morgan stood up and walked over to Flanders.

"I don't appreciate you reading over my shoulder Derek. You have relevant information on me. I am sure Garcia can find more if she really tries." He finally looked up at Morgan. "Do you mind – I am busy."

"Do you have a problem with me Flanders?"

"Absolutely not." He looked back down at his work and started writing again. "Is that all?"

…………..

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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	5. Chapter 5 Something Nasty

Something Nasty

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine: Floyd is.

He got a bucket of hot water and poured in a generous helping of disinfectant. His head seemed to not be hammering quite as hard now, but he still seemed to be finding straight lines a bit of a challenge. He sploshed the hot water to his room and sat looking at the mess he had made. What was going on? He had never drunk enough to make himself this ill before. Slowly and methodically he began to clear up the vomit off the floor. It was those nightmares. They had started a while back but he talked to Gideon and Morgan about it and he had it under control. This was different. These were like images from the pits of hell. Not just some child eating monster. These nightmares hurt. These nightmares were real.

He was just chucking the dirty cloth back in the bucket when he heard someone knocking on his door. He let out a big sigh. Had to be someone he knew, no one else had a key for the main entrance doors. He slowly picked himself up off the floor, as the knocking on the door got louder. The noise was going straight through him and making his ears ring. Had to stop that now.

"I'm coming." He called out – and the knocking stopped. He checked through the spy-hole and saw Hotch standing there looking grim. Reid slipped the security chain on the door and opened the door.

……………

Hotch decided to go and check up on Reid. He had been acting strangely for the past few days. He wanted to make sure he wasn't coming down with something nasty. He wasn't totally sure that Reid would go and seek medical attention if he was ill. He had a key to the main entrance doors of Reid's apartment block. He knocked gently at first, but when he got no reply he knocked harder. Aaron was beginning to get worried, but then Spencer may just be sleeping. When he finally heard Spencer saying he was coming it was a huge relief. Until that is Spencer opened the door with the security chain in place. He didn't think he had ever seen Reid look so ill. Hurt and damaged, yes, but never plain ill like this.

"Can I come in?"

No quick and handy excuse came to mind. With a sigh he closed the door and pulled the chain off, then opened it up to let Hotch in. In the dim light of the hallway Hotch could see something was very wrong. Reid was leaning on the wall looking at the floor. He was still wearing the same cords he had been wearing for a few days now, but had on a cardigan over a bare chest. It was the smell that hit Hotch though. Disinfectant.

He gave Reid a puzzled look when he didn't say anything to him and walked to Reid's kitchen. He took in the mess and the bottle of drink and the glass, and the chaos. Hotch turned and looked back at Reid who hadn't moved and then walked off to the lounge. He could hardly get into the room with the books piled all over the floor. He noted again a bottle of drink and frowned.

"Reid, what is going on?"

How could he explain something he had no idea of himself?

"It's not how it looks." Was all he could think of to say.

"Good, because it looks like you have been sitting here drinking." Hotch was now walking towards Reid's bedroom.

"No – Hotch no. Please not in there." He felt a wild panic in his chest and moved from the security of the wall towards his bedroom door. "What was it you wanted?"

"I came to check you were alright. Obviously you aren't. Now are you going to tell me what is going on? You look half cut Spencer."

"Oh no – I just – I – It's not what you think." He placed himself between Hotch and the bedroom door, but kept his eyes looking at the floor.

"Well I am glad of that Reid, because you look hung over and still under the influence of a heavy drinking session. You will be in work tomorrow. You will pull yourself together and you will not be drinking whilst on duty."

A small nod from Reid. "It's not what you think." He said again.

"You can talk to me Spencer. If there is a problem you know you can talk to me. I realise its not the same as having Gideon to confide in, but you do know you can trust me. You know that don't you?"

"It's the nightmares. I was just having a problem with sleeping. I think it's alright now."

Hotch started to move away from Spencer's door. Reid really didn't want him to see where he had been clearing up his stomach contents, or the bottle of booze on the cupboard. The bottle he couldn't remember buying.

"We will leave it there for now Reid. Tomorrow – on time – clean clothes please and a shower wouldn't go amiss."

Spencer could feel his face going red. "Thank you Hotch – I will see you tomorrow." He went back to leaning on the wall, and now his hands were shaking, so he slipped them into his pockets.

………………….

He had no idea how long he had been there for but at some point he had slid down the wall and was sitting on the floor. He heard a noise and opened his eyes to see an unfamiliar pair of boots. Slowly he looked up and saw Flanders standing in his hallway looking at him.

"How did you get in?" He scrabbled to his feet, which seemed a lot steadier for the sleep. His headache was still screaming at him though.

"The door." He held out a bottle of mineral water. "You are dehydrated; drink."

Reid took the bottle and unscrewed the top. It clicked and made a slight hiss. "Thank you." He muttered.

"I will help you get sorted. You need to be in work in a few hours. Did you spend the night on the floor?"

"Why are you here?" He drank some of the water. It felt lovely on his dry throat.

"To help – I told you. I got you coffee" He passed Reid a tall hot mug of sweet coffee, and smiled at him. "Drink up. Then shower, I will clear up the mess you made in your kitchen."

"I I can manage. Thank you." Reid was unsettled again by this strange new team member. How had he gotten in his apartment when Hotch couldn't? He looked up and saw a pair of dark eyes looking at him.

"You don't need to know the details Spence. Just get washed. I will tidy this place up."

Spencer walked towards the bathroom door and slid in quickly closing and locking the door behind him. Flanders grinned at the door and just stood watching the closed door for a while he then wandered off to the kitchen to tidy. He was just sweeping up the last of the sugar from the floor when he heard the bathroom door open. Flanders kept his head down sweeping, but grinned broadly.

"So when are you going to tell me why you are really here." Spencer's voice was calling from what seemed to be the bedroom. Flanders threw away the last of the rubbish and walked towards the voice.

"Pass me the bucket Spence." He said from the door way. "Oh and no – not that tie with that shirt."

Spencer was standing in a dark red shirt and holding a green tie in his hand. "They don't go?" Reid looked surprised.

"Er no – they don't go, Spence." He entered Reid's bedroom and put a hand on his shoulder. Reid jumped back from the touch. "Jumpy – but that's OK. You just need to get used to me."

"I don't like being touched. Can you leave my room please? I don't like being watched either." He moved back out of reach of Flanders.

"Fine – didn't mean to alarm you. I will see you in work then." He turned and began to leave the room.

"Flanders – stop hitting on me OK. I really am not interested." Reid was pulling on a pair of brown cords.

"I know where your interests lay Spence." He was grinning as he walked away.

"What – what do you mean by that?" His voice raised slightly.

"You jump back from me – you tell JJ to stop touching you – yet you don't flinch at Aaron. I am a profiler, I notice these things."

Reid was pulling on a mismatched pair of socks now. "I know him better. That's all."

Flanders had left the room now and was walking back to the main door. "So I heard!" He called out, and started to laugh.

Reid ran out of his bedroom "What do you mean by that!?" But Flanders was through the main door and it was slamming behind him. "Damn you Flanders! What are you after?"

……………………………


	6. Chapter 6 Sudden and Sweet

Sudden and Sweet

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

He was in work before Morgan, so that was a good start. He got his coffee and sat down. Reid considered going up to see Hotch but didn't think he could face more questions right now when he had no answers. A fingernail inspection was in order, and thus he didn't see JJ walk over to him grinning.

JJ saw the man of her dreams arrive back at work after a day or two off sick. He still didn't look one hundred percent but he was still her Spence and no one blew JJ off. Especially not Reid.

"Hey!" And a hair ruffle.

He sighed inwardly. Why him? Why did they pick on him? And he pushed his hair back behind his ears. He so wanted to tell her again to stop touching him, but as he looked up he saw Flanders watching from where he had just got out of the elevator. Reid turned to JJ.

"Hey." And he grinned a big toothy grin at her.

She smiled her candyfloss smile back and announced. "Roundtable room everyone. A new case."

Reid made sure he was sitting between Morgan and Prentiss. He really didn't like Flanders much. Couldn't put his finger on why he made him feel so uncomfortable. Apart from him keep hitting on him.

They were going to New England to look into some nasty murders of local residents. The local police were stumped and needed guidance and advice on where to go next.

The flight out seemed tense and uncomfortable. Reid read his case file and talked quickly to Hotch about what had happened at the apartment.

"I am just concerned that you have been drinking whilst on duty Spencer. It will mark your record permanently. I don't want something like that to happen. If you need to talk to someone about things I am here, and Morgan will be more than willing to listen."

"I know I know. I didn't realise there was a problem. I don't understand what happened. It was a one off. It's never happened before."

"I should hope not Spencer." And then Hotch changed the subject.

………..

By the time they had arrived two more people had gone missing and search parties were being organised. They set up the signing in sheets because they knew the unsub would be there somewhere helping out and finding out what information they had already and how close they were.

The teams split. Spencer was with a man called Rhet Lombard who was a little man with lots of ginger curly hair. They had their grid, and as Spencer had the gun Rhet had the whistle.

Flanders was with a woman, whose name he forgot as soon as he was told. Today his mind was on something else. He pulled his glasses from his suit pocket and smiled at the bland looking woman.

Reid could hear the crunching of the undergrowth as the people set off.

JJ stayed behind to handle the press. Prentiss was with a man called Brian, and Hotch with a teenaged girl called Lucy.

There seemed to be nothing. No signs that anyone had been through here probably in years. Reid was getting twigs and leaves stuck in his hair and was falling over fallen logs. He was about to suggest they try going back now when the wind suddenly started.

Not a normal wind. This wasn't just the sort of wind that pulled the leaves off the trees. This was the sort of wind which ripped the trees up by their roots. Spencer turned to try to see where Rhet was but as he spun something hit him across the bridge of his nose. Reid let out a yelp of alarm and put his hands to his face. He stood half blinded by what it was that had hit him, his eyes watering madly. A flying tree branch? He could see nothing. His vision completely obscured by the things flying through the air. He felt the thing hit him across the back of the head, and he felt himself go down to his knees. He was about to call out, when something else hit him. It felt like a boot to the ribs. A groan as something caught Reid under the chin just before everything went black.

The wind stopped almost as quickly as it had started. Reid lay still, Rhet was laying crumpled, and hands were going though Spencer's messenger bag. It was dragged off his shoulder and the contents tipped out. His gun was taken and thrown into the bushes as was his cell phone. Then he was rolled over onto his back. A peaceful looking Reid. Hands going where they shouldn't. Fingers ran over his face and down to his mouth. A set of lips met Spencer's and a tongue ran over his bottom lip and then a whisper in his ear. "You will need me." Some amber liquid was poured into his slightly open mouth and a small bottle placed in Reid's hand. Spencer was rolled back over onto his side and he left.

…………….

The woman Flanders was walking with was standing in a dream holding the grid. Flanders walked over to her and snatched it from her hands. "What's wrong?" he snapped?

"Nothing! I just thought I heard something. It's nothing."

……………

It was a sudden panic when they realised Reid and Rhet hadn't called in. They tried to call Reid but he didn't answer his phone.

A new search party set out. They knew the route Reid had taken and had a copy of his grid. Morgan and Hotch set off, Prentiss stayed behind to look through the list of names on the call sheets with JJ. Flanders talked to other people who had been in the same area Reid had been in. Had they seen or heard anything?

They walked quickly. They called out Reid and Rhets names and got no reply. Morgan found Rhet. He nearly fell over the man's body. His neck at a funny angle.

"Hotch over here!" he called out. He checked a pulse, but he knew what he would find before he tried. Fear suddenly gripped him. Where the hell was Reid?

His name was called again, but again nothing.

Hotch saw something and walked quickly with his stomach tying in knots. Reid's messenger bag and laying just beyond the tree – Reid. Hotch ran forwards and stopped dead in his tracks. He could see clearly what Reid had in his hand. The small bottle glinted in the sunlight filtering between the trees. Both agents gloved up and moved cautiously forwards.

"Hotch, what the hell?" Morgan took the bottle from Reid's hand. They could see the slow rise and fall of Reid's chest. "Reid doesn't drink, what the hell is this?"

Morgan bent forwards; he was going to see if he could awaken Reid. He put his hands gently on his shoulders. "He's been hit by someone."

…………..

Flanders had stopped talking to the people he needed to and stood looking in the direction Hotch and Morgan had gone in. He closed his eyes and smiled.

………….

Reid's hands suddenly went from laying limp at his side to being around Morgan's neck and Reid was screaming something – something about there being demons in the wind. A fist came back and Reid punched Morgan firmly on the nose.

"Get off me you bastard!" and his nails were tearing at Derek's face.

Aaron tried to pull Morgan off but Reid but Spencer was not going to let go. Morgan's fist made contact with the side of Reid's head and for a second he looked surprised, but then Reid's fist came back and caught Derek on the chin. "Don't you touch me!" Spencer was screaming. Hotch moved behind him and tried to grab hold of his arms. Attempting to give Morgan the chance to disengage.

Local law enforcement officers were arriving now. Some looking down at Rhet with sad faces others watching the punch up between the FBI agents. JJ and Flanders arrived at a jog together. Flanders stood and watched. Hotch and Morgan had this in hand. JJ though went over to offer kind words.

"Spence, calm down, it's only us."

And his fist made contact with her mouth "Shut up!"

………………….

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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	7. Chapter 7 Helping Hands

Helping Hands.

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

JJ sat in her hotel room nursing a swollen lip and hurt feelings. Emily sat with her.

"He took a nasty hit to his head JJ. I am sure he didn't realise it was you."

"I am sure too. Emily he has been acting so strangely recently. I think there is something very wrong."

Emily nodded and took a sip of her coffee. "Well you know I have never fully understood Reid, I wouldn't know if it was something wrong or just his own strangeness. Honestly JJ he is very peculiar."

"It's those little peculiarities I adore so much though."

"If you say so." And she sipped more of her coffee.

…………..

Hotch sat in Reid's room. Reid had been looked at by the EMT's and had a mild concussion. He was sleeping it off. Reid let out a little groan and rolled over onto his side. He opened his eyes a tiny bit and looked at Hotch looking right back at him.

"Hey." He whispered. "Hotch, what happened?" His hand went to the pain he was feeling across the front of his face.

Aaron held up the small bottle Morgan had taken from his unconscious hands. "You tell me Spencer." His face was hard and angry.

Reid sat up and blinked. "I don't – I don't understand. What's that?" His stomach was twisting in knots. Had he done something again and not remembered? This was becoming a nasty habit if he had.

"When you are ready Reid; I will need the details of what happened out there. A man is dead, and you are found disarmed with this," holding up bottle "In your hand and a smell of alcohol on your breath." Hotch started to stand. "Get up and stop looking at me like that."

"I don't drink! I didn't drink. Aaron, you have to believe me." Reid hauled his hurting body off the bed. "Someone hit me. When that wind suddenly picked up, something caught me in the face, then across the back of my head. Hotch someone attacked me. I wasn't drinking."

"Yes Spencer you do drink. Denying the problem will not make it go away. There was no sudden tornado. You were mumbling on about that earlier. You seem to the only person – alive – who experienced it."

"Ask Rhet or Flanders. Flanders was next over on the grid."

"Reid, I am sending you back to Quantico for now. I don't want you out in the field until I have worked out what to do, and I can't do that half way through a case. Flanders will take you back."

"You don't believe me. After everything Aaron. After all that – and you don't trust me?"

"I am concerned that I have let past events blind me to what is going on Spencer. They are past events. Please don't bring it up again."

Spencer was getting cross now. He hadn't done anything wrong, so why was Hotch treating him like this? "You make it sound like what happened was something dirty."

"Now is not the time Spencer, get your stuff together, the jet will take you back. I want you to work with Garcia."

Hotch left the room leaving a stunned Spencer standing shaking slightly wishing he had a something to stop the quaking in his hands and the spinning in his head.

"It wasn't dirty." He whispered and flopped back down onto the bed.

………………

It was about half an hour later that Flanders arrived. Reid scowled at him. He wasn't happy about having to spend time alone with him. The man had creepy written all over him, and the idea of having to fend off this mans advances on the flight back wasn't filling Reid with any amount of joy. Not to mention the fact that he had annoyed Hotch by doing something he hadn't actually done.

"I know it was you." Reid suddenly blurted out. "I know you are trying to make it look like I have a drink problem."

Flanders snorted with laughter. "You know nothing of the sort. I am trying to help you Spence. Trying to enlighten that small mind of yours."

Spencer looked at the floor and still wobbly a bit from the smack on the face and head he went to get his bags for the flight home. "Just don't come near me, and don't talk to me. Then I am sure we will get on great."

………….

Reid sat in a corner of the jet and pressed his brow against the window. Flanders seemed to for once respect this need for alone time and sat the opposite end of the jet. Flanders had his eyes closed as if in deep concentration. Spencer glanced over to him. As long has he stayed over there and was not concentrating on him then alls good. He would talk to Hotch about this new agent when the team all arrived back. That is if Hotch would even listen to him. He was pretty pissed with him right now.

Something didn't seem quite right. Reid looked out of the window.

"Flanders?" He asked, but got no reply. It looked like he was sleeping. "Flanders, wake up, something is wrong." Reid got up and walked quickly to the man he was trying his best to avoid. "Flanders!" he was beginning to feel a little bubble of panic forming in his stomach.

"Go and sit down Spence. I am thinking. I can't do that with you nattering at me."

"NO no – look out of the window." Reid pulled up the blind Flanders had pulled down but pressed his own face against the glass.

"Well I cant with all your hair in the way. What's the problem?"

Reid jumped back to give Flanders room to look, but still avoiding physical contact.

"We are going the wrong way." Spencer moved to another window. "We are going north."

"I am sure it's not a problem Spence. They change flight patterns if there are storms. Read up on it. Learn something useful for once."

Reid turned to see that Flanders had pulled down the blind again and was sitting eyes shut. "You are not even going to look?"

"No. Now please be quiet. I thought you didn't want to talk to me."

"Well I don't but –"

"Shut up Spencer. You are whining."

"I want to check with the pilots."

"Shut up and sit down."

Reid stood looking at Flanders with a confused look on his face. "Pardon?"

"Please Spence. Sit and look out of the window. Just leave me alone. I didn't join the BAU to be your bloody baby sitter; I don't like this anymore than you do. So silence would be nice right now."

Reid walked back to the seat he had been in earlier. His baby sitter? Is that what Flanders was here for?

They sat in silence. Reid knew there was some alcohol in the jet bar, and the thought of it sitting there was making his hands shake all the more. He decided on a strong coffee to try and settle the nerves he was feeling travelling alone with this 'person'.

It started as he left his seat. A slight juddering and then a drop.

"Air pocket." Reid muttered and carried on walking to the coffee. It juddered harder this time and it seemed to be slipping sideways. Then the bang.

Reid was thrown to the floor next to Flanders. He couldn't hear anything except a high pitched whistle. Hands were pulling him off the floor and as he looked up Flanders was shouting something at him, but he couldn't hear. He managed to drag himself to the seat opposite Flanders and pull the strap around him. They were going down. He could feel it, the oxygen masks fell from the ceiling and Reid watched as Flanders calmly pulled one over his face. He looked over to Spencer and frowned and said something Reid still couldn't hear.

If there had been an announcement from the pilot Reid didn't hear it. Either because the initial explosion had temporarily deafened him, or through sheer panic. Shaking hands grabbed the mask and pulled it over his mouth and nose. Deep breaths, but there was nothing. His panic metre was rising, and the still calm look on Flanders face wasn't helping. He tried again to suck in oxygen from the useless mask, and could feel the pressure in the cabin dropping and the air he did have left in his lungs getting ripped out of him. He looked up again to see Flanders moving his head down and covering his face with his arms. Reid started to follow the standard crash position but the lack of anything left to breathe pulled a deathly blackness over his eyes and he slumped sideways in his chair.

Flanders peeked out from between his fingers and grinned.

………………….


	8. Chapter 8 A Rush Of Panic

A Rush Of Panic

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

It was early evening when Hotch took the call. They were sitting around eating nibbles and discussing the case whilst nimbly avoiding the Reid question on everyone's lips. Morgan looked up from his pate when he heard the tone of Hotch's voice.

"Are you certain? Yes of course – yes I understand – how long ago?" A pause and Morgan could see Hotch's hands were shaking. The girls were still nattering, so Morgan did a 'cut' gesture to them to let them know something was wrong. "Do you have any possible locations? I see. I don't understand how this can happen. How can it disappear? What about the satellite tracking systems? I understand what you are saying, what I don't understand is how. Yes yes please do. Anytime obviously. Yes thank you. Yes. I will." And he flipped his phone shut and sat staring at the team.

"The jet. They have lost contact with the jet. It's not on the radar. It's down somewhere and they have no idea where. The system lost track of it somewhere over Atlanta." A big frown on Hotch's face.

"Why Atlanta, I mean that's the wrong direction." Prentiss looked puzzled.

"It's crashed and they don't know where?" JJ's eyes where huge. "That can't happen!"

"They lost communication with it near Greensboro. Then it flicked on and off radar until it reached Atlanta. Now there is nothing."

"Oh god no. What can we do?" JJ was standing with tears threatening to tip over her cheeks.

"The search and rescue people are out there. There is nothing we can do. We just need to wait.

…………………

He opened an eye. Still deathly silence. He was laying half across a seat and half dangling over the side where the seat which had been next to him was now gone. His arms hanging down into nothingness. He could feel the side of his face was wet, and something heavy was laying over his legs pinning him to the chair. He cautiously looked over to where Flanders had been sitting, but the place he had been sitting in was no longer there. It was dark and bitterly cold. He could see through the gap in the side of the plane that it was snowing. That it was mountainous and that they were a long way from anywhere.

This however is an FBI jet. They are easy to track and trace. Wherever it was the jet had come down, the rescue teams would know exactly where they were and would be there soon. No need to panic Spencer. They will come and get you. Please let it before nightfall. It was already getting dark. He didn't know if he was still deafened or if there was just nothing to hear. He attempted to pull himself up to sit, but the bit of jet which was laying across his prevented him from moving. Please hurry up. It's getting dark. He quickly pulled his arms up out of the unknown darkness he was hanging over and closed his eyes. Please hurry up! He could feel his breaths getting quicker and shallower. No time for a panic attack now Spence. Not now. Stay calm. They are on their way.

And the darkness pulled in closer and wrapped around Spencer. Where the hell were the rescue teams? Why hadn't the search helicopters found the jet yet? Why wasn't the beacon screaming at the world that he was here and trapped?

He could smell something. He could smell cooking. Oh god was there a fire? He attempted to twist around to see if he could spot any flames or smoke. Seeing smoke in the now total blackness wouldn't have been possible, but was that a small fire?

…………..

Flanders crouched in the snow and put a stick of meat over the fire. No way he was going to go hungry. He looked over to where Spencer was. He was waiting for the screams to start. They would start. He was sure of that. He knew the boy agent was scared of the dark. So give him a bit of hope and light the fire where he might be able to see it. Then wait. The smell of the sizzling meat made Flanders' mouth water. He pulled a half cooked lump off the stick and popped it in his mouth just as Reid started up his night time calls for help.

Flanders checked his watch. He will wait. Wait until the screams died down a bit. Then and only then would he go and see if he could rescue Spencer. To be very honest with himself he didn't know if he could. That bit of the jet was very close to the pit. One slip and the whole lot will disappear forever. No huge loss really, but less fun.

He made another kebab with a chunk of meat and started to put it over the flames. He suddenly pulled it back and dragged it off the stick again, and sat and ate it raw. He threw in some bits of meat too fatty to eat so as to make the smell waft over to Spencer quicker. This sort of torture was just the best!

An hour passed before the screams turned to loud whimpering noises and finally silence again. Flanders got up and walked over to the bit of wreckage Spencer was trapped in. He stood carefully on the edge. Today wouldn't be the day he fell down a bottomless pit somewhere in the mountains.

"Spence?" He called out quietly. "Spence!"

"Flanders, get me out of here."

Flanders grinned into the darkness. "Christ Spence I thought you were dead. I checked you, and didn't feel a pulse. I went hunting."

"Well help me."

"I can't get any closer Spence. I don't want my weight to tip the wreckage over the edge. It wobbled alarmingly last time." He stood and thought. "Wait there Spence, I will be right back." And with a smirk he walked off again.

He took his time. He wanted to hear Spencer calling out for him again, so he sat by the fire for a while and waited with some rope in one hand, small bottle of whisky he had located in the wreckage in the other and a lump of meat in his pocket. Then he heard it. His name being called in a rush of panic. Wonderful.

He got up slowly and walked happily to where Spencer was trapped. He stood at the edge again. "It's ok don't panic, I am back. Sorry it took a while. Needed to find something."

"Just hurry up Flanders. Get me out of here."

"Floyd."

"What?"

"My name Spence is Floyd. You can use it. I am saving you from a nasty death here, you could at least use my first name – as I use yours."

"OK Floyd – hurry up."

"Right Spence babe – I want you to listen carefully. I don't know if pulling that stuff off you will over balance the stuff you are stuck in. If it does you will be going over the edge with it."

"Fabulous thank you for that Floyd."

"I need you to tie this rope around your middle Spencer. Tight knot – I am sure you know your knots."

"Yes I do – "

"I don't need to know what you are tying Spence. Just do it ok and hurry, if the snow gets too heavy it will tip it over."

He threw a length of rope to Reid. He pulled the end around his middle and tied it off in his best non slipping knot. "OK all done, now what?"

"Now I will throw another length over and you will secure it to the wreckage. I am going to pull you both out at the same time. I hope. At least you won't fall."

He threw another length to Reid who secured it tightly to the lump of metal laying across his legs.

"Done. Now get me out."

"Spence – I don't know if this is going to work. If it doesn't, please accept my apologies. My intention wasn't and isn't to kill you. You do know that don't you?"

"Floyd you are beginning to worry me. Just pull this stuff off me."

"I want you to have to chance to say your goodbyes. Anything you need to get off your chest? I am here and listening."

"Get off my chest? What do you mean?"

Floyd shook his head. "Never mind Spence. Are you ready? Need to say a prayer?"

"Just get it off me!"

And Flanders pulled. It made a horrific grinding ripping sound but it lifted off Spencer and the wreck didn't slip. Spencer slid off the chair and crawled under the lump and out towards Flanders.

He stood up and started to untie the rope as he felt the ground start to move under his feet. With a yelp everything started to slide away. He felt the rope go taut and he heard Flanders shouting at him

"Don't untie it you stupid freak!" And he was hauled out onto the snow and safety.

Reid lay in the snow panting. His legs hurt where they had been crushed and his ribs hurt from the rope, but apart from that all seemed good.

"Thank you."

Floyd just nodded. "I've got this – chew on it for a while." He passed Reid a lump of fire cooked meat.

"Where did you get this?"

"I told you. I went hunting." Come over and sit by the fire.

"Floyd, did you check on the pilot and copilot?"

"Oh yes, one of the first things I did – messy."

"Ah" and Reid started to shiver. "It's so cold. Where are the rescue parties?"

Flanders moved over and sat next to Reid. "It's not wrong for two men to hug you know."

"I I I what?"

"I know about you and Hotch."

"What?!" His eyes were huge with shock.

"Just letting you know. We have a lot in common we do. But right now I am not hitting on you Spencer I just think we should stay close and conserve the heat. Care to give it a try?"

"Just to conserve the heat then." And Reid wrapped his arms around Floyd and rested his head on his chest. Floyd was maybe breathing a little bit to heavy for this to be just heat conservation.

…………..


	9. Chapter 9 Little White Lies

Little White Lies

**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine. Floyd is.

The temptation to run his fingers through Spencer's hair made his heart pound. Calm calm – you have plenty of time. Don't push it. Let Spencer take the lead now.

The temptation to lay his head on Floyds lap made Reid's heart pound. He knew it was just the situation but it didn't stop the need for extreme comforting right then. 'Stay with it Spence. Don't let your defences down around this man. Remember you don't like him. He might smell good and feel warm and those arms might be keeping the demons of the darkness away but there is something wrong about this man.'

They sat and listened to the wind howling over the mountains. Flanders knew the rescue would be a way off yet, Spencer was watching the sky for some hope. They would have been missed hours ago. Why were they taking so long? The chances of surviving out here were minimal. Frost bite was nasty. Frost bite injuries he had heard were hard to treat.

"Floyd. I was thinking, there should be blankets and shouldn't we be sheltering under something?" He felt Floyd move and push Reid's hands away. "What are you doing?"

"You want blankets; I will go and see if I can find any." And Flanders stood up.

"Wait I'll come with you." And Reid stood up and started to shiver.

"You are a strange one Spence. One minutes you are 'don't talk to me don't look at me' and now you can't keep your hands off me."

Reid sat down again quickly. "It's not like that. I just thought I …….."

"You don't like the dark, just Spence it's darker over there. Stay here in the firelight. Keeps the wild animals away. Wolves."

And he marched off into the inky darkness grinning. He loved it when all his planning started to slide into place. He moved out of sight and sat down in the comfort of a pile of blankets he had secured in the daylight. He will wait a while and imagine Spence squirming in the dark, alone, cold.

Reid watched Flanders until he disappeared into the blackness. Did he say there were wolves? He looked down at the small bits of meat Floyd had cooked up. He was really hungry but was that wolf meat? Where was the carcass? He picked a bit up and looked at it. Odd texture. It tasted good though.

There was something behind him. Touching his back! Reid spun around and got to his knees. Nothing there. Something crawling through his hair. He moved his hands and run fingers through his hair. Nothing there either.

"You are getting spooked Spencer. Calm down – there is nothing there."

Something touched his ear, and he let out a little yelp of surprise and put his hand over his ear. "It's just the wind and the cold. Stop spooking yourself."

He stood up and peered out into the dark. Nothing except the howling of the wind, he couldn't even hear Floyd moving around, but acoustics up here played with your imagination. He knew that. He spun and slapped the imaginary hand off his shoulder then something was holding his ankle and something else tickling along his neck.

"Floyd!"

And he was running. He didn't know where, but it was definitely away. He could hear he was making whimpering sounds, and he could hear his feet scrunching in the snow, his blood thumping in his ears, and sounds, noises that only came out when there was no light.

………………

Flanders stood and watched the fleeing back of Spencer Reid. "Wrong way you fool." He muttered, "But have a little something to help you on your way."

He lifted his hand and blew a kiss at the fading back.

………………

Something smacked him on the small of his back. This wasn't his imagination. He tried to stop and see what had hit him, his feet sliding on the snow, spinning on the spot, not knowing where he had come from he took a step back. A big step back. A step back into nothingness. He put his hands out to find something to grab onto as he felt himself dropping. He could hear he was screaming. He could feel something smash into his side and he could feel he was rolling and banging into things. He felt a few things catch the side of his head before it went blacker than it already was.

………………

"Well crap." Flanders walked over to the fire and dumped the blankets down and picked up the rope they had used previously. He picked up one of the blankets and ripped it along the edge until he had a strip and then wrapped it around the end of a thick stick he had ready for the fire. He poured a bit of alcohol on it and then dipped it into the flames creating a not very well made torch which would last for about two minutes if he was lucky.

"Spence! Where the hell are you!?" he called in his big – I will rescue you again – voice and started to walk towards where he had seen and heard the agent disappear.

……………..

The team sat in a worried huddle.

"How can they not find it!?" JJ had been crying at some point and her eyes were red and puffy.

"There have been no reports of anything. Nothing – the jet didn't go down in Atlanta. That's about all we can say. The emergency beacon hasn't been set off." Hotch looked very grim.

"Are you thinking hijackers?" It was Prentiss

"I don't know what to think. It's being investigated. It just seems to have gone."

"Why those two?" Morgan stood up and looked for something to kick out at.

"You would rather it was me?" Prentiss stood up and stared at Morgan.

"I didn't say that. No I would rather it was me. If that is a hijacking how will Reid cope? Why him again?" and the bin got kicked

"Have you thought that it wouldn't happen to you because you don't have 'attack me if you want' written all over you?"

Hotch stood up to join he others trying not to look at the sniffing JJ. "Enough. We don't know what has happened. We need to wait. They will find them or we will get a message. A ransom of some kind. You two sit down. We are a team, this isn't the way I expect you to react in crisis."

"It's just not right Hotch." And Morgan sat down again.

Emily let out a sigh "I am sorry Derek. I am worried too."

"Right for now we must focus on the case. JJ I need you to go and sort yourself out, we have a press conference in half an hour. You two get that list of people on the search again. I want you to go over it with the local rangers." Hotch got up and left the room, his hand hovering over JJ's shoulder for a second, but not quite touching her. He was scared too. No news is good news they say, so why was this beginning to feel worse and worse and the minutes ticked slowly by.

……………………

He could just see the crumbled heap down the bottom of the slope. "Spence, are you alright?" Nothing. "Spence!" now he was shouting again. He really didn't want to be climbing down there in the dark. He had to think about this. He could always leave him until it became light again and say he couldn't find him in the dark, but would he die laying there in the thick snow? He looked around for something to tie the rope off to. Nothing. "Son of a bitch." He picked up and lump of snow and lobbed it. "Wake up for christ's sake!"

………………..

He was laying twisted around some rock and snow. Somewhere he could hear a voice and then something hit the side of his head. Something wet. Spencer rolled over carefully. "Floyd?"

"What in hells name are you doing down there? Get up and get over here, I think I have found why the beacon didn't go off. Get a move on."

"What?" He stood up slowly holding what felt like a gash on the side of his head.

"Get over here; I will throw a rope down. That's twice in the same day. You owe me." He could see Spencer's huge eyes looking up at him and his heart skipped.

Flanders wasn't expecting it. He had no idea how this happened. It wasn't part of his master plan to get Spence to want him, but the full blast of the explosion hit him in the back and sent him over the edge and down into the snowy pit with Spencer. He felt his head hit something hard. He heard Spence yelling out something and he muttered.

"Ah son of a bitch."

Then the grey fog took over his senses and he blacked out.

…………………..


	10. Chapter 10 Is This What You Wanted?

Is This What You Wanted?

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine. Floyd is.

Hotch was sitting with Morgan and Prentiss looking over maps and names and dates when his phone bleeped. He flipped it open.

"Hotchner." A long pause. Derek saw the expression change on Hotch's face. Emily saw the blood drain and the knuckles whiten. "Yes thank you for keeping me informed." And he closed the phone and looked over at his two team members.

"Satellite pictures of a plane down." He started to stand up but his legs wouldn't hold him so he just sat again. "In the mountains in Canada." He looked confused. "It broke up on impact."

Morgan stood. "They are looking for survivors?" He put a hand on Emily's shoulder. The words felt like he had just written a death sentence.

"There has been a huge explosion. They are about to set out now, but….Well we still don't know if it is R – the jet. It's in totally the wrong area, but so was Atlanta, so I don't know what to think."

"It broke up on impact and then exploded?" Emily put her hand to her mouth.

……………

He felt around in the dark. The sky was lit up orange from the explosion from the jet. Now surely someone will see that. It will show up on some monitor somewhere. It will and they will come and get them. But for now Reid had to worry about the snow which had started again and this Flanders person who was laying on the ground groaning. Reid crawled over to him.

"Floyd? Are you alright?" he moved a tentative hand out and touched the man on he back.

"Well Spence, what the hell do you think?"

"That's why I was asking." Reid could see something sticky and red on the side of Flanders face. "You're bleeding."

"Full of words of wisdom today aren't you?"

Reid sat next to Floyd and shivered. "They will be here soon. It's going to be alright." His teeth were chattering together and the snow fell harder.

"They won't come out in a storm Spence. They can't. They won't risk it." He rolled over to look at Reid's face. He was looking up at the snow falling heavier and heavier.

"It's n n n not a st st st storm y y y yet."

"So Dr Reid, do you fancy trying some heat conservation again? You look like you are going to die there. Come closer and I can wrap my coat around us both."

They lay together in pain in the snow looking up at the orange sky. Floyd wrapped his coat around them both and pulled Spencer in close. His back was in screaming agony. God only knows what he had done to it, but he wasn't going to show a weakness. Reid turned so he was facing Flanders who was still laying on his back. "We are going to die."

"Looks that way."

"Why are you so calm about this? I can't figure you out."

Floyd could feel Spencer's hot breath on his neck. "I have no regrets Spence. If this is it, that's fine but don't even begin to try to profile me Spencer. It's not worth the effort you will have to put into it."

"Where are you from? Your accent is slightly European."

"Well you have me figured." He could feel Spencer's hand moving across his chest. "You know you shouldn't be doing that."

"I might have regrets." A whisper of a voice.

"Spence, you need to keep your back warm. You are facing the wrong way."

"Oh ok sorry."

Floyd felt the hand move away from him and could feel the movement as Reid turned away from him. Slowly and carefully Floyd turned to face Spencer's back. One arm around Reid's shoulder and the other hand moving across Spencer's stomach.

"Can't have you die with regrets on your soul Spencer."

……………….

"There is a storm." Hotch called the team together. "They can't do search and rescue in a storm."

"Oh." Said Emily. "Do they have any more information on if it is the jet or not?"

Hotch nodded. "It seems that the emergency beacon turned on for about fifteen seconds before going off again. They can't explain it. All they can tell us right now is that it was definitely the jet; it broke up on impact and a while later exploded. The emergency beacon flicked on and off about twenty minutes or so before the explosion. They are assuming electrical fault, but we will know no more until they get up to the mountains and have a look." Hotch looked over at Morgan who looked to be set to explode. "They are at this point assuming no survivors. If by any chance anyone made it out of the jet alive – well the temperature up there is extreme."

"Hotch, you are giving up on him? On them?" Morgan looked horrified at the picture this crash painted.

"Never Derek. No I am not giving up on them. Flanders especially has an enormous amount of survival training. If there is a chance, if they are not too badly injured Flanders will get them through it. There are four men up on that mountain, and I am not going to give up on any of them."

………………

The storm howled on for hours. The two of them lay still Flanders held Reid close trying to make sure if nothing else his back stayed out of the bitter cold. The sky was black again now that the fire had died down. The only good thing about this situation was that that they were partially sheltered from the awful weather. It didn't however stop the snow from falling on them. It didn't stop the horrendous bitter cold. It didn't change the fact that Reid thought he was going to die. It didn't change the fact that Flanders could now reap all the benefits from this experience.

"Spence try to stay awake." Gently running hands over him.

"I I I c c cant."

"Come on Spence, don't give up now. When the storm drops they will come."

"I I I can't stop shaking. Floyd I am g g going f for a w w w walk." He started to pull away from Floyd who pulled him back and held on tighter.

"You can't go for a walk. There is a storm. Lay still. Preserve the heat."

"They w w wont s s see us!" He was trying to pull away again.

"Spence, don't make me hurt you. Just stay still. No one will come for us in the storm. They can't reach us. You are getting hypothermic Spence."

"My core temperature is erm – will – I need to sleep."

"Let me warm you up some more. Would you like that?"

A strange whimper was the reply. And hour after hour passed

……………..

"They are going in. The storm has died down enough."

They sat and looked at Hotch.

"How long will it take them to get there?" JJ's voice was shaking.

"The helicopters are on their way. They will let me know as soon as there is anything to say. We need to get back to the case. I appreciate that this is hard, but there are people missing still and we can't give up on them either."

…………..

It was carnage. The wreck was a smouldering lump. The explosion seemed to have blasted and destroyed everything around it. The rescue guys stood and looked. Not a chance in hell anyone survived that.

Floyd heard the choppers and saw the lights. He needed to go and let them know they were here. Right now they were half buried. Spence was not responding anymore. He didn't want to unwrap himself from him. He didn't want to leave him here alone in the cold. He tried to shake him awake.

"Spence – they are here, you need to wake up now." A quiet mumble. "Come on wake up. We need to let them know we are here. I can't leave you here." Another noise only just audible.

Reid could hear Floyd talking to him, but his brain just wouldn't make sense of it. He wanted to cry. This was entirely his fault. He was drinking on duty, though he couldn't remember doing it. He managed to get knocked out and disarmed. An innocent man died because of him. No – three innocent men. Let us not forget the pilot and co-pilot. All because he had trouble sleeping. All because he was scared of the dark and imagined things touching him so he ran. He will probably get Floyd killed too now and he never got to explain everything to Hotch and Flanders was saying something to him and moving away and all he could do was cry.

……………………..

Flanders frowned and stood up. "Hey over here!" he shouted.


	11. Chapter 11 We Had A Quarrel

We Had A Quarrel 

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine: Floyd is so don't get distracted by the fakes.

The helicopter blades made a loud whump whump sound and the wind howled at impossible decibels. It was not possible to be heard, words ripped from mouths and throw into the winds.

Flanders shouted. He could hear the sounds from the copters, and the screams from the wind.

The rescue team stood and looked. They had a quick poke around what was left of the wreckage. Not much. Some of the wreck had plummeted into deep crevices and would probably be there forever. There were burning lumps of what might have been human flesh, which they made a collection of and nothing else. Nothing had survived this. Nothing could have, and if they had they were surely dead now. The wind was picking up again so with the black box hauled from its housing they decided to leave. It was just a relief that it had been a small jet and not a huge passenger plane, at least only four families would have to be told that there is nothing left of their loved ones to identify.

They walked briskly back to the choppers, glancing back once at the scene.

…………..

Floyd screamed until he had no voice left. He stood and begged them to turn back and find them but his head hurt too much and he was too cold and he was still mentally exhausted from everything else. He could hear the whumping of the choppers pick up again, and he heard them leave. He turned and looked at Spencer laying dying in the snow and up at the sky.

"You stupid sons of bitches you just killed a federal agent!" he shouted at the sky.

……………..

Hotch was sitting with the team again eating nibbles when the call finally came through.

"Hotchner." A long pause. "Yes I understand and thank you – No that is good of you but we can do that. Yes thank you I will pass on the message. I would appreciate an accident report, I need to know how this happened. Yes I know, and thank you." He flipped the phone shut and stared at Morgan.

"What?" He was beginning to rise from his chair.

"Sit down Derek. Search and rescue have just reported in." How could he tell them that Spencer was dead? How can he make this easy? "There were no survivors."

JJ stood up. "That's wrong, of course there was, we can't loose Spence like that! Tell them to go back! Hotch it can't be like that!" She ran from the room with Prentiss hot on her heals.

"Derek I would like you to tell Garcia, she is going to hear about this pretty soon. I think you should be the one to tell her, I know she and Reid were close."

"Hotch, are they sure? One hundred percent sure. Did they search properly?"

"They searched as far as they could. There was nothing left Derek. Nothing even for dental records." A big sigh "Some remains were found and are going to the lab. Derek, I'm sorry." Hotch got up on shaking legs and put a hand on Morgan's shoulder. "Would you rather I told Garcia?"

"No no I will call her now."

"Thank you – I will make sure the other families are informed."

…………………..

Flanders looked down at Spencer. He quickly took off his coat and manoeuvred Spencer into it. "Spence wake up a bit – we have to move." All he got was murmurings and muttering. "Shit. This isn't going to plan."

He lifted Spencer out of the snow and started walking to the side of the pit they had fallen into. There had to be a way of getting out. He rubbed Spencer's fingers and blew warm air onto them. He dropped Spencer back down into the snow and pulled off the sweater he was wearing and pulled it over Reid's head and stuffed his hands up inside. He then looked down at his feet. "Bugger this. Spence – when we get out of this you owe me big time." He bent down and removed his shoes and socks, then pulled off Reid's shoes and put a second pair of socks on him. "Lucky for you I don't feel the cold." Then he replaced shoes.

Reid mumbled something but Flanders didn't hear what it was. "Right listen to me. Spence try to listen. I am going to climb my sorry arse out of this pit and go get something to help me get you out. Don't you go anywhere."

He looked up at the lip of the pit and frowned. Slowly he climbed. One hand over the other, one foot then the next. He could do this, actually he could probably do this with Spencer on his back. He jumped back down and shook Reid. "Wake up! I am getting pissed off with you Spence. Wake up so I can rescue you damnit."

…………………

Hotch was sitting in the bar when Morgan found him.

"Need someone to talk to Hotch? Cos I sure do."

Aaron looked over at Derek. He had been crying. They both had.

"How's Garcia?"

"A wreck. Look Hotch I know they did a search and all but you know, this feels crazy wrong. It cant have happened. Reid couldn't have died like that."

Hotch took a drink from his tumbler. "I sent him home. I sent Flanders to keep an eye on him. I accused him of drinking on the job and refused to listen to his side of the story. I sent him away when I should have been listening and helping."

"This is not your fault Hotch."

"Then why do I feel it is? I know, Morgan, I know he wouldn't drink on the job like that. I know he doesn't drink heavily. I know he has nightmares and I know he hasn't been sleeping. Why was I not listening to him?"

"If you listened or not, the crash was not your fault. They will find out what happened."

"Derek right now I don't care what happened, I just care that someone I – someone I cared for is dead. That Reid is dead."

"We all cared for him Hotch. This is going to hit JJ, I should go and find her."

Hotch's face twitched slightly. "Yes go and comfort JJ good idea."

Morgan turned back to Hotch, "What's going on here man? Something you not telling me?"

"Morgan, this doesn't feel right. I am going to ask for them to research the area. I don't believe they would have been careless enough to stay close to the wreck. They are out there somewhere; I don't feel they are dead."

Hotch jumped up. "I am going to tell them to go and look again. If they saw rescue choppers they would go back and look for them. We need another search."

…………..

He carried Reid on his back up the slope on the side of the pit they had both fallen into. The wind had picked up again and the snow was blinding.

Reid could feel the movement but everything seemed so confusing. Floyd kept shouting at him but his mind wouldn't let him work out what he was meant to be doing. He felt himself hit the snow with a thump then hands around his ankles and being dragged. But somehow it was beginning to clear. It felt like he was slowly defrosting.

The wreck was still smouldering. Floyd found something warm to sit near to and let go or Spencer's ankles. He sat down next to him and pulled him onto his lap. Floyd rubbed the skin of Reid's face to try to warm him up a bit. "You are too skinny Spence. He bent forwards over him and kissed Reid's cold lips.

"Mind if I warm you up a bit?"

"No – I don't mind." And Spencer lifted his arms and slid his fingers into Floyd's hair.

Floyd raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected him to be so willing; so easily. This was good. Yes this was very good!

…………..

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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	12. Chapter 12 You Need To Confess

You Need To Confess

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine: Floyd is.

It was thick snow again by the time the second lot of choppers arrived. They were huddled together Reid wrapped in Floyd's arms, eyes closed against the bitter wind. Floyds head was bent over, his hair covered in ice. They didn't move. They didn't hear. The hand on Flanders shoulder was the first he realised the choppers had returned. He lifted his head slowly. Ice cracking in his hair. "Took your time." Then he looked down at Spencer. "They are here Spence. Time to go."

Silver blankets were wrapped around their shoulders. Floyd let them pick up Reid and take him to the chopper, he walked painfully behind. His back pain was dying down now. They packed Reid in warmness and gave them something hydrating and warm to sip on.

…………..

It was with sadness for the loss and great relief of the survivors that Aaron told the rest of the team. Yes they had been found. Reid and Flanders seemed to somehow by some miracle survive something they shouldn't have been able to. Hotch then went to his room and had a drink and lay on his bed and thought. He thought how they could had fallen down the crevice with some of the wreck, how Spencer's body could have frozen for all time and never have been found. He thought how he hadn't trusted Reid, and how he would have to make it up to him. He thought how this had changed how he felt about Reid. He wasn't going to let him go again. Next time he would trust him. If he said he wasn't drinking, then he wasn't. Next time he wouldn't push him away.

JJ stopped crying in grief and began her sobbing of joy. Prentiss gently did a 'there there there' on her shoulder, but wasn't really sure what to do. She didn't understand the attraction JJ had to this skinny weirdo. How on earth did she think they could ever have a relationship? They were just too different. Very different in many ways. In ways Emily was almost certain he would never have eyes for JJ. She wasn't going to say anything along those lines now. Not yet. Not now that they had been found.

Garcia screamed and ran around her bunker. "Oh my god! Thank you thank you the powers that be for bringing them home!"

Derek was happy. He didn't realise how devastating this would have been for the team. He also thought about Flanders. How everyone was going mental happy that Reid was alive. Flanders seemed be getting over looked. He would make a point later to drink to him too. Morgan was sure that left alone in those mountains Reid wouldn't have gotten out alive. Then again he was sure Reid had read survival manuals and would have known what he should be doing but physically? Could he survive?

………………

His body screamed in agony. They put him on a drip to warm him up. They didn't know how he had managed to survive such extreme conditions. They told him that he owed his life to Flanders who for some odd reason didn't seem to have been very effected by it at all. Flanders who was standing at the foot of Reid's bed watching the pain on his face as his body slowly thawed. He walked around the bed and sat on the edge.

"Hey Spence. Sorry about all this crap. Didn't mean this to happen." Spencer stared at him. "It wasn't part of the plan; but I think it worked out in the end. What do you think?"

"I thought I was going to die." His lips were cracked and his eyes swollen with the cold.

"So did I Spence, but it's ok now. We are going to be ok." Floyd brushed the hair off Spencer's face.

"D d don't. Please d don't touch me."

Floyd raised an eyebrow. "You were more than happy to have me touch you up on the mountain. No pun intended."

"I thought – no regrets." He tried to smile.

"You did that to me so you could die with the knowledge you had used me?" Floyd stood up frowning.

"Sort of; I didn't plan it that way. It was a mistake Flanders. I wasn't thinking straight. Can we just leave it like that?" A small half smile which Floyd saw as a smirk.

"You little freak. No we can't just leave it like that. There is so much more. I didn't go through all of that for you to change your mind as soon as you got your sugar fix."

"It wasn't like that. You know it wasn't like that." Reid was looking a bit worried now.

"It wasn't? Sure as hell feels like that to me. I'm leaving as you have 'guests' arriving soon. You need to think very carefully about what you just said to me. I will be back."

Flanders left the room almost at a run, and left Reid to keep warming up in his cosy blankets.

…………………

When Reid next opened his eyes it was Hotch standing at the end of the bed. Reid did a small smile and chewed on his bottom lip.

"I need to talk to you Spencer."

"Cant it wait? I wasn't drinking. I don't know what happened, but I wasn't drinking." Reid had his cross face on.

"I know – I know you hadn't been drinking. I am sorry Spencer. I am so sorry for everything."

"You didn't believe me. You didn't trust me." Reid turned away from Aaron.

"Spencer. I am so sorry. I am sorry for not trusting you, I am sorry for turning away from you."

"I don't want to talk about it Aaron. I feel confused and tired. Leave me alone."

"Please Spencer. I have never felt such pain as when they told me there were no survivors."

"I am too confused about all of this Aaron. I need to be left alone. Sorry." He pulled his pillow over his head.

His next visitor was JJ

"Spence, oh god Spence I thought I was never going to see you again!" and hands running through his hair.

"JJ please don't do that."

"Spence, there is something I really need to ask you. I have been waiting for you to ask first, but since that date at the ball game….."

"It wasn't a date JJ. I just took you as a friend. Jason said you would enjoy it. I had two tickets. What did you want to ask?"

"Oh I was going to ask you out on a second date." JJ looked nervous.

Reid turned onto his side again and pulled the covers up over his head. _'Go away go away go away.'_

……………….

Reid was given two weeks off work.

He spent his time locked away in his apartment trying to work out what to do and what he wanted and what he had done. He was sure that what happened between himself and Flanders was only due to extreme stress and cold. Hypothermia causes confusion. Yes he was confused. Not his fault. Flanders must realise that. On the shelf in his bedroom there was still that bottle of vodka. He stood and looked at it for hour on end. Just staring and finally being able to drag himself away from it. He wasn't going to drink. Even if the nightmares came back. He wouldn't go down that slippery slope again.

Day three and he was having a nap in his chair. The books were still in stacks around the room, he didn't know why he had done that, and felt no compulsion to put them all away again. He had been sitting for hours and now just as his eyes began to close there was a knock on the door. Someone he knew. Everyone else would use the entry phone down stairs. He got up and walked slowly to the door and checked the spy hole.

Flanders stood looking at his fingernails. Reid unlocked the door and let him in. Flanders slammed the door with his foot and flicked the lock over. He had a very pissed off look on his face.

"I don't like being called a mistake."

Reid was backing off towards where his gun was. He didn't like this feeling. Something bad was going to happen. "I said the situation was a mistake."

"No regrets Spence. You have regrets now? You look like you do and get any closer to your gun and I will hurt you."

Reid stopped and tried to think where his cell phone was.

"Flanders, what do you want?"

"You owe me remember? I have come for my payment. First instalment is due."

…………………..

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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	13. Chapter 13 On We Plough

On We Plough

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine. :c)

Reid started to back off again. "You are insane. Get out of my apartment."

Flanders kept up with Reid's retreat almost toe to toe. "So tell me what all that was up on the mountain."

Reid could feel Floyd's breath on his face. "I I I it was – I thought…………"

"Thought what Spence? What were you thinking? What are you thinking now – That you can get your gun and force me out of this apartment? That you can get your cell phone and call for back up? That you can take what you want and never expect to have to pay for it? Tell me Spence which of those thoughts were you thinking?"

"I am a Federal Agent, you can't do this; you can't threaten me."

"I am too Spence, and this is a promise, not a threat, and I promise one step closer to that gun of yours and I will have to cause you pain. You are not dealing with some lowlife unsub here. This is me you are messing with."

"What do you want?" Reid was standing deathly still.

"I want you to listen very closely to me Spence. Just listen, then afterwards you make your decision. Sound good? Whatever decision you make I will go along with. I will either stay or leave. But you listen to me first."

"I won't be bullied into some kind of deal with you Floyd." His hands were twisting nervously.

"Listen." He waited for Reid's nod and then carried on. "You will do what I ask because I have requested it. You will turn down favours offered elsewhere. You will need only me. When your nightmares start you will want to drink, but you will call me for comfort. You will be mine to control and you will look to me before you look to Aaron. You will cease all other relationships you are having and you will be only with me. You will do what I say when I say it. Do you understand? Is this good with you Spence? Do you want me to stay or go?"

Reid stared at Flanders.

"Any questions?" Floyd was watching carefully.

"Yes."

"Go ahead. Ask."

"What makes you think I will do what you tell me?" Reid pushed Flanders out of the way and walked towards his main door. "Get out."

"More than happy to Spence. I will be back later – maybe not tonight, but I will be back. I hope you have me on speed dial." And he left.

Reid locked the door behind Flanders and stood with his back to the door. What the hell was that all about? He considered contacting Aaron, and even went to the phone, but when he picked it up it felt almost childish. How could he call him and say Flanders was threatening him with – with – he wasn't even sure what it was he was threatening him with. What happened in the mountains was a bad mistake, and he had no intention of repeating it, or following it up.

………

Morgan sat in the bunker with Garcia. "I need everything you can find. There is something seriously wrong with that man."

"I have, I have scraped every last barrel bottom. There just isn't much on him at all. I think there has been a name change. I am almost certain of it, but I cant find the proof. There are no tax records; I can't even find where he was working before he joined us. Nada – nothing. I am as curious as you are, but I can't find what's not there."

"Country of origin? Not even that?"

"I will tell you if I ever turn anything up, but right now, no."

Derek sighed and nodded. "Thanks baby girl. You coming out for a drink?"

"Not tonight, I have a date with my motherboard. Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow it is."

…………

Morgan was walking down the dark back ally-way towards the bar when someone stepped out behind him.

"Mammola, in the province of Reggio Calabria, Southern Italy." Derek spun around at the sound of the familiar voice. "You have been poking around, I thought I would help you out. I travelled a lot. What else did you need to know so desperately? Ah yes my name. A name change, of sorts a name change, but only because it was so unwieldy the way it was; so yes a slight change."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"To save you and Garcia time. Stop prying Derek; you might not like what you find. Tell her to back off. If you want to know something try asking." Flanders turned and started to walk away again.

"Flanders, so tell me, where did you work before you came here?" Derek was walking towards Floyds retreating back.

"Now that is a question I am not willing to answer. Goodnight Derek." He walked around the corner into the shadows and was gone.

………………….

Flanders sat on his bed with his head in his hands. He was thinking. He was thinking of Spencer. Tomorrow he would be back at work, tonight he will let him sleep. Tonight would be nightmare free for Spencer – at least no nightmares sent by him. He lay back down on his mattress and closed his eyes.

He reached over and picked up his cell phone and pressed speed dial.

"Hotchner."

"It's me."

"What's wrong Floyd?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to hear your voice."

"I can't talk right now." Then whispered "Haley is here for goodness sake what are you playing at?"

"You think I care what your bitch thinks?"

"Don't talk about her like that." Whispering voice down the phone.

"What you going to do about it Aaron, come over and tell me off?"

"I can't talk to you right now Floyd."

"I can't remember giving you an option. I am sure Haley would love to hear about that weekend away you had with Spencer. The fishing trip." Laughter.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I can – because I am bored?"

"Talk to you about this tomorrow. I have to go."

"Sounds good. See you tomorrow Aaron. Sweet dreams – sweet memories." He flipped his phone closed and smirked to himself.

……………………………

Reid wasn't sleeping too well. He lay in the dark – with the side lamp on with his eyes open and shaking hands. He knew the bottle was next to him. He knew it wouldn't help, but the lure was getting greater. He got up and paced his room for a while. He picked up the bottle and looked at it. He shook it and watched tiny bubbles caught inside float and pop at the top. He could almost taste it through the glass. Reid considered going to the bathroom and pouring it down the toilet, but that would mean removing the lid, and then the temptation would be even greater. He put the bottle back on the side and looked down at his shaking hands. He needed to sleep. Needed to relax.

Spencer lay back down on the bed. Relax. Just count sheep or something. It should be easy to just sleep shouldn't it? He got up again and went into the lounge. He had to go back to work tomorrow. How could be go back looking half dead, he wanted to be back to normal. To be Dr Spencer Reid again. Reid picked up his cell phone and flipped it open. He pressed a few buttons and looked down his short list of names. With a sigh he closed it again and put it on top of a pile of books. He stood staring at the phone for about twenty minutes before snatching it up again and pressing speed dial.

"It's me. Can you come over?"

………………

The gentle knock on the door came about ten minutes later. Spencer opened it without checking who it was.

Hot fumbling hands.

Whispered words and warm breath.

Gentle kisses on the neck and throat. Hot hard passion filled kisses on the mouths. Hands tangling in hair and running up over the bare skin.

Reid was making his first payment.

……………………

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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	14. Chapter 14 Wake Up And Stop Shaking

Wake Up and Stop Shaking

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine. Thank you.

He could have been an angel. Such an innocent calm face as he slept. Floyd leaned on his elbows and watched Spencer's face.

"Sweet thing." He grinned and ran a finger long Spencer's nose.

It came suddenly. One second there was nothing then there was hot raging fear. Something chasing him. Something that smelt of fire and hate and anger and sulphur. Something he couldn't run from. Something he needed to turn and face. In his nightmare he stopped and tried to turn around, but he was stuck. The thing behind him touched his shoulder and he pulled him back. He felt the clawing arms tighten around his chest and something wet run up the side of his face. He felt the sliding slippery feeling of something running over his spine and up to his neck and down again. He felt it tear into him and rip a hole through his chest. He scrabbled and pulled and screamed and writhed and called out for help as he felt his blood leaving him and his heart pumping nothing.

Something which looked like a black rubbery tail wrapped around his neck. He stood in his nightmare and watched his twitching body being impaled by something monstrous. He put a hand over the thing sticking out of his chest and another over the thing around his neck and screamed as he felt something suck his soul from what remained of his body.

Floyd watched Spencer. He saw the look of pain and terror on his face, he wrapped his arms around him and tried to comfort him from the demons he had set on Reid's sleeping mind.

He watched as he shouted out and fought off his imaginary demons. He pulled at things tight around his neck stopping his breathing and he kicked and tried to scratch. This had gone far enough for tonight. He could see Spencer was struggling to breathe. He really didn't want to kill him. Not yet anyway. Not until he had had some fun!

"Spence, wake up."

He could feel gentle hands stroking his hair "Wake up Spence you are having a nightmare."

And as suddenly as it started it stopped.

Reid lay sweating and shaking, comforting hands holding him close. "Its OK, I'm here."

"Come on, get up and have a shower, it will make you feel better."

Floyd reached over behind Reid and pulled the bottle off the side where Reid had left it earlier. He knew it was the one he had spiked way back – it felt like weeks ago now.

"Floyd, please don't open it."

"Why not?"

"Because then I will have to drink some to get rid of these shakes and I really cant go back into work after a week off sick and be drunk. Please put it back."

"Spence, you should see a doctor about the shaking, it might not be the alcohol."

Reid shook his head. "It's not. Its fear - Its shock. I'm not sure. I'm going for a soak." He pulled some bedding around himself and walked to the bathroom to run a tub.

He sat and soaked in warm comforting bubbles. He leaned back and closed his eyes and started to smile. He thought about last night when at the point he felt his loneliest at the point he was feeling desperate he had called Floyd. He has picked up his phone and called the man he felt such deep loathing for. He leapt out of the tub and pulled a white fluffy towel around him and went back to his room. It was empty. He checked the lounge. Nobody. He looked in the kitchen, nobody. He looked at his big dark front door. The lock was still on. Reid stood and looked puzzled. What the hell was going on?

He walked slowly to his room and looked again. This was some trick. "Floyd! Stop messing around, where are you?" Silence and the electrical buzz of his alarm clock. He looked up at the bottle. It was open and a small glass with a dribble of clear liquid laying in the bottom. "I didn't drink that. I know I didn't drink that. Flanders, what are you doing!?"

Confused and now feeling groggy and unsteady he walked to the lounge and saw his phone sitting on top of the pile of books. With shaking hands he picked it up and called the number Floyd had given him. It rang twice.

"_Welcome to the gay sex hotline. Please hold while we connect you to the man of your dreams"_ With a horrified look on his face his snapped the phone shut again. He must have misdialled. The tried it again and quickly snapped the phone shut. He hadn't misdialled. His hands were shaking again. He needed to talk to Hotch. Something was wrong. Something was going wrong. Something had happened and he couldn't explain it. Quickly he pulled on the first items of clothing he could find, stuffed his phone into his messenger bag and went back to his bedroom. He picked up the bottle and took it to the bathroom and tipped the contents down the toilet. "You are not going to win. I am stronger than you." The sudden urge to stick his head down the toilet bowl for one last lick had him running from his apartment and hurrying to get his connection on the subway.

He burst out of the elevator at the correct floor like the hounds of hell where biting his backside and ran to Hotch's office. He turned the door handle but the door was locked.

"Damnit!" He stood and looked at the door wishing it to open. When the hand touched his shoulder he let out a squeak and spun to see who it was. JJ – of all the people he didn't want to face this morning.

"You ok there Spence? Lovely to see you back again."

"JJ – yes I am fine thank you." He turned back to look at the door.

"Spence – I am sorry if I spoke out of line."

"Yes well JJ back off please. I am not in the mood for this." He was beginning to shake again. JJ watched the trembling in his hands.

"Can I get you a coffee? It might help the – erm – the" She indicated his hands.

"The what JJ? Are you accusing me of something?" He was getting snappy now, and really she didn't deserve this she was trying to help.

"Spence, I didn't accuse you of anything. I just thought….."

"I can get my own coffee thank you JJ." He stood looking at the door for a while longer then walked off to grab a coffee.

………….

He set the coffee down on his desk and looked again at his hands. He felt hot and sweaty and his eyes were tired and sore. He left his coffee and went to the men's room. He stood and looked at his face in the mirror. Not so bad today. The darkness under his eyes had faded back as much as it probably would, but he had a sheen of sweat covering his face. He turned on the tap and let the cold water run for a while then bent over the basin and splashed his face.

He felt hot breath on the back of his neck and a hand holding his hair. Then he heard Floyd's voice.

"I could if I wanted. If you want." His voice whispering in Reid's ear.

"Get off me Floyd." He pulled himself up from the basin and tried to turn around but Flanders was pushing hard against him and still holding onto his hair.

"That's not what you said last night." Twisting his fingers in his hair and pulling Reid's head up and back. "You begged me last night."

"I was confused. Let go of me."

"You get confused a lot don't you?"

No reply.

"I will take that as a yes. You are a tease Spence. I don't like being teased."

Silence.

"Why so quiet?"

Still nothing.

"You are trembling Spence."

"I I I Floyd."

"You ready for the second payment?"

…………………….

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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	15. Chapter 15 He Does What He Pleases

He Does What He Pleases

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine: Floyd is.

Reid left the men's room and returned to his desk. His hands had stopped shaking. He looked down at them and smiled. At least now they would stop looking at him expecting him to explode any second. Spencer picked up his coffee mug and took a happy sip. It was maybe a bit cool, but that was fine. Paperwork, and stacks of it. He also had to go and talk to someone about what happened when the jet went down. The black box had given them confusing information. Reid agreed to talk to them about anything he could remember. Not that much had really happened. It all happened too fast. Floyd would be talking to them also. He was interested to know what his side of this little adventure would be.

They went with Aaron to a small office on a different floor. They thought maybe they were dealing with terrorists of some kind, though they never received any calls or information or claims from any group.

The three of them sat in the room. Reid was feeling relaxed and happy. Floyd looked – well he looked like Floyd always does – calm. It was Hotch who seemed slightly on edge. He didn't like his men – his team being questioned by other agents. He was protective. The other two men in the room were Agents Goodsall – a dark haired blued eye man, and Agent Lepsky a small rat like man with male pattern baldness in full swing.

"So" Goodsall started. "Start at the beginning please Flanders. You boarded the jet. What happened? Please try to remember everything. Dr Reid add your bits where necessary."

Floyd looked at Aaron and then at Spencer. "I chose not to sit with Dr Reid. I was on a babysitting mission and not too happy about it. Dr Reid decided just after take off to empty the jet bar."

"Excuse me!?" Reid looked stunned. "I did not."

"I was concerned about his drinking problems. I tried to persuade him that this was the wrong course of action. He chose to ignore me."

"I I I wasn't d d drinking!" Reid was twisting his hands in his lap. Aaron noticed. He always noticed.

"Reid seemed to be very verbose during the flight. He was pacing and shouting and drunk." Laughing on the inside.

Reid stood up "My god Flanders!" His face was flushed.

Agent Goodsall asked Reid to sit down again and requested that Flanders continued.

"He was ranting and raving about the jet going in the wrong direction. I requested that he sat down, but he continued to go on about the flight path being incorrect. I was about to get up and talk to the pilots to re-assure him when it felt like we hit an air pocket. Reid was laying on the floor so I picked him up and strapped him into a chair. He was incoherent and babbling. When the first explosion hit the oxygen masks fell and I placed one over my mouth. Reid continued to scream and rant and well he passed out. I could feel the jet was going down so I got into crash position and that's about all I remember."

Reid got up and left the room – Hotch went after him. Flanders just shrugged.

"Reid wait." Hotch was running down the corridor after a quick moving Spencer. Reid spun and looked at Hotch.

"I don't know what is going on. I don't know what he is up to, or what his plan is, but I wasn't drinking." Hotch just stood and looked at him.

"He knows about us."

"What?!" Reid turned and started to walk off again. "You told Flanders?!" He was now shouting. "Of all the people you could have told!"

Aaron kept up the pace with Reid. "I didn't tell him Spencer. I don't know how he knows, but he does, and he knows details."

Reid stopped and turned again. "So you will permit this character assassination to protect yourself?"

"Only two people know the details like that Spencer, I am one of them and I assure you I said nothing."

"Hotch I I I no…." Reid looked horrified.

"I won't have this destroy my marriage Spencer. Haley means everything to me. You know that – you have always known that."

"I know! I wouldn't – Aaron – I just wouldn't. I thought you knew me better than that. Why don't you trust me anymore? Why are you taking his word against mine? I thought we were – were."

"It's in the past. We both made choices and we will both stick to those choices. Flanders is all part of this. I can't take back what happened I can only try to move it on. You are advised to do the same. Without the aid of alcohol."

Reid could feel tears of anger beginning to prickle behind his eyes. "Hotch – what is going on? What is Flanders up to? How did he get out of my apartment and lock the door on the inside?"

"He was in your apartment?"

Reid felt his face flush again and he nodded.

"Did he do anything to you? Did he hurt you? How did he get in?" Aaron looked alarmed.

"I called him. I let him in." Shake of the head. "Why is Flanders on the team? If there is such bad feeling – why is he here?"

"Not here Spencer. I will talk to you later. Don't let him in again."

The door they had left by opened and Flanders stepped out. He stood for a second and looked at Reid and Hotch talking. Whispering. Talking about him. He knew what they were saying. He knew.

……………

Reid was glad to get home that evening. It was another boring paperwork day which he had spent avoiding JJ and Flanders, and Hotch seemed to be avoiding him. The atmosphere was dreadful. He needed to talk to Hotch about just what it was Floyd had told him, but there just wasn't the time or opportunity. He ran a bath and put towels over the radiator to fluff them up. He double locked his main door, then went around and secured all the windows. He pulled drapes and blinds and stood looking at the pile of books still all over the floor. After his bath, he decided, he will start to put them back. He switched on the coffee machine and stripped off for a soaking.

He lay back in the warm comfort of the bubbly water and closed his eyes. This was one of the only true places he ever felt completely relaxed. Here and sitting reading a good book and drinking coffee. Reid rested his head against the coolness of the back of the bath and closed his eyes. He must have fallen asleep almost instantaneously and the nightmare followed that swiftly. Had anyone been monitoring this they would have noticed that Reid hadn't entered REM sleep. They would have been confused by the rapid onslaught of this nightmare, but the only person watching didn't really care.

Reid dreamed he was running. The same monster, always running from the same monster. As he ran he started to get wet and realised he was in water. Something was pulling him down. Deep down under the water. He wanted to scream, but he felt he was drowning, he fought and struggled and tried to reach the surface, but his lungs were going to burst and he could feel something holding him down. Something hot and inhuman pushing and pushing him down into the deep warm water.

……………….

Flanders stood next to the tub and watched that angel sleeping. He watched the nightmare begin and the flailing of arms and legs in the water. He placed a hand on Spencer's head and forced it under the water. He did think for second or two that he might awaken, that those beautiful big eyes might open, that what was left of his dirty soul would resist, but it didn't. He held him until he stopped fighting, and then let go and stood and watched. That pretty face floating below the water.

Floyd sighed and put his hand under the water again and grabbed Reid by the hair pulling his face above the water. He grabbed him under one arm and hauled the limp drowned body from the tub.

……………………..

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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	16. Chapter 16 He Saw S S S Something

He saw s s s something

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine. Floyd unfortunately is.

The decision had to be made quickly. Take a payment now. But it would be the final one. Or save the scum and take the payment later. Flanders crouched down over Reid and slapped him hard around the face.

"Breathe for me Spencer."

Spencer's eyes shot open and he coughed spluttered and screamed. Flanders grabbed towels off the radiator and threw them over Reid.

"Hey hey it's alright. I am here."

Reid started to slap Flanders away from him. "You tried to d d drown me!"

"What? No Spence. I pulled you out of the water; you were having a nightmare or something."

"I s s s saw you!" and he was scrabbling away from Floyd.

Floyd followed him. "No you didn't Spence, it was a nightmare. You were under the water."

"How did you get in?"

"You invited me." And he was smirking.

"You know full well what I mean." A twitch of a grin.

"You don't need to know the details. Do you feel ok?"

"I feel wet and cold. If you don't mind leaving so I can dry myself?" He was getting to his feet pulling the towels tighter around himself.

"Why the sudden shyness? Let me help you get dry." And the smirk again.

"Aaron told me not to let you in here again. You need to leave."

"And Aaron is your father? Your legal guardian? Your prison warden?"

"Friend. Please Floyd leave."

"Not yet. I need to make sure you are safe. I need to make sure the wound is not too deep." He reached out and grabbed Reid by the arm. "With me."

"I don't have any wounds. Floyd let go!" Did his eyes glow red slightly for a second there? "Stop stop…let go!"

The hands were like a vice and the fingers digging in hard into his arm dragging Reid to his lounge and towards his chair. "Sit." He pushed Reid down in the chair and passed him a small bottle of clear liquid. "Drink"

Reid stared at the bottle but didn't take it "No. Leave my apartment Floyd." An angry scowl.

"Make me." and a happy smile. "I would love to see you try. Drink or I will be phoning Haley, and I don't think Aaron will take too kindly to you being the cause of the collapse of his already unsteady marriage. Drink." He handed the bottle to Reid who took it in shaking hands.

"Why are you doing this to me? What did I do to you?"

"You think I am doing this because of you? No – you got it all wrong. Drink before I force it down and you won't like that."

He sniffed the contents of the bottle. The smell was so strong it made him cough. "What is this?"

"Don't worry your little head about it. Two mouthfuls and we are done. Drink up."

He looked over to the main door with the locks pulled across and then at the windows with the drapes closed and sighed.

"Floyd. You don't have to do this. If you leave now, I promise I won't tell anyone. It will be between the two of us." Big round worried eyes looked at Floyd.

"Stop begging. I would love to say it doesn't suit you, but sadly it does. Drink now or I will snap your pretty little neck and pour it down."

With a big sigh he put the bottle to his mouth – Floyd was on him and forcing the bottle down into his mouth and his other hand went over Reid's nose. "Swallow."

He made a choking gasping noise as the liquid was forced quickly down. Immediately his head started to swim. "Wha –wa th?"

Floyd ignored the woozy looking Reid and went to the bathroom to fetch his blue robe. He returned and looked at Spencer trying to look back at him. "Don't worry. It's not that which will hurt you. Put the robe on."

He pulled Reid to his feet and pulled the robe on for him. "Now let's see to that nasty head wound."

Reid looked puzzled. "I don't have one."

He felt Floyd manhandle him so he was facing his small coffee table with the piles of books in front of it. Then he felt hands on his back propelling him forwards. His brain screamed at his feet to do something, but the message never got there. He fell first over the books then with a crash of bone on wood his head met the corner of the table. He felt a hand reach over and drop a half full bottle of vodka at his side, and put cell phone in the other. "I would give Aaron a call if I was you." Floyd pressed speed dial then walked back out of the way to see the scene he had set.

……………

Hotch was at home eating dinner with Haley when his cell phone went off. He sighed when he saw it was Reid and considered not answering. Haley was giving him a look. "I have to take this. I won't be long." He flipped his phone open.

"Hotcher."

"Aaron help…….." The line went dead.

"Spencer?" But there was no reply.

"Don't you dare go running to him Aaron." She slammed her knife and fork onto the table. A look of pure hatred on her face.

"Haley he is one of my Agents. I have been ignoring his calls for help for long enough. I need to go and see him. I need to go now. I won't be long. I promise."

She stood up from the table. "Don't you dare promise me something you know you can't or won't keep! Go to him then. Just don't expect me to be awake waiting for you like the dutiful housewife. If you leave then you can consider this marriage over. That was not a work call Aaron. That was a personal call from your 'friend' Spencer." She started to walk from the room.

"I am not quite sure what you are implying Haley, but if one of my men calls and asks for help, then it becomes a work issue. I will be back as soon as I can."

……….

Reid's apartment door was slightly ajar. This was wrong. This was very wrong. Hotch pulled his gun from its holster and stood for a minute just listening. There was nothing. Carefully he pushed open the door with his fingertips. He got a waft of coffee in the breeze the movement made. Hotch peered into the hallway. It was dark. Reid wouldn't be here in the dark if he didn't have to. He walked slowly into the hallway and peered into the kitchen. It seemed to be Spencer's normal more than tidy kitchen. All ok there. A few more steps and he was looking into the bathroom. There seemed to be broken glass on the floor which was very wet, discarded towels lay next to the toilet. This was not ok. This was not something Spencer would do. Still silence. The bedroom door was closed. He left that for now and stepped into the dark lounge. "Spencer?"

He could see a mess. The lounge looked like it had been burgled. His books scattered everywhere. The books he loved so much just left on the floor, and it was then that he saw him. Laying on the floor with the phone still clutched in his hand. Fear gripped Hotch in the stomach and propelled him forwards towards Spencer. His foot hit something which made a small chinking sound. He looked down to see an empty bottle roll away under his chair. Liquid was spilled clear and red. There was blood – not much but enough. Quickly he was at Spencer's side. His eyes closed laying in the mess.

"Spencer." Aaron said softly. His hand moved slowly to check for a pulse on the side of his neck. It was there it was steady. He took the phone from his hand and put it on the coffee table. He carefully moved his hands around Spencer's head to try to work out where the blood was coming from. It seemed to be from a large gash in the side of his head. It had stopped bleeding now which was good. The strong smell of alcohol wasn't so welcoming though. He carefully turned Reid over onto his back to get a better look at him. It was this movement which seemed to jolt him back into consciousness.

"No get off me!" He slapped Aaron across the face with all the force a drunk Spencer could muster. When it came back to repeat Hotch caught hold of his wrist.

"Spencer it's Hotch. You called me. What the hell happened?"

"Flanders! It was Flanders." Then his eyes rolled back as the alcohol took hold of his brain again.

Aaron picked up the limp Reid and carried him to his bedroom. He lay him on his side then went back and closed the main door. When he returned Spencer hadn't moved.

Aaron flipped open his phone and dialled.

"Morgan, I need you to come over to Reid's apartment – I realise it is late – Yes Morgan, but he needs someone to stay with him tonight – I think he was drinking, but I can't be sure. I need to go and talk to someone but can't leave him here alone. Thank you." He flipped the phone shut and went to get a cloth to clean the side of Reid's head. He needed to call the EMT but he if this was alcohol it would be reported and if Flanders was involved he needed Reid kept close and not in some hospital bed.

He wiped off most of the blood. The wound was superficial. Reid was lucky this time. That could have killed him. With sad eyes he pushed Reid's messy hair off his face.

Still wrapped in his fluffy blue robe Reid let out a sigh and rolled over onto his back. One hand wrapped defensively around his chest and the other bent and above his head. A pose Aaron knew only too well.

"I need to leave you Spencer. I am sorry." He bent over and kissed Reid gently on the lips. "I miss you."

…………………

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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This chapter is dedicated to Dr Matty. 


	17. Chapter 17 A Little Something

Everybody Needs a Little Something

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine: 

It was a dark miserable area. Many of the buildings boarded over. A haven for the homeless and for prostitution and drugs – the tall gothic looking apartments leaned over with gargoyles staring down at the low lifes. Hotch walked along the street and found the big old doors for the main entrance of the building.

The lobby was filled with filth and rubbish. Discarded needles, bits of foil, condoms and many other luxury items used by the locals. It stank of dirt and sweat and urine. Aaron stood and looked at the elevator and decided to take the stairs. They were huge sweeping wide stairs. This place would have once have been the place to live. The fixtures and fittings were mostly gone now, and the flock wallpaper was peeling off and covered in graffiti. The lights didn't seem to work. It had a dark deep depressive feel about it. It felt like a place where tragedy had happened more than once.

He walked up two flights of stairs and looked down the corridor in the direction he needed to go. What looked to be blood was smeared along the walls. The carpet which had once been an expensive dark red was now threadbare and covered in things Hotch didn't want to look to closely at. He walked slowly, watching where he was walking, looking at the walls, and looking at the ceiling and wondering how someone could live in a place like this. He reached the door he wanted and looked at the number twenty nine scraped into the wood of the door.

Aaron lifted his hand in a fist to knock, but the door just swung open with a crash and banged on the wall of the dark room. A foul stench wafted over to the open doorway.

"Flanders; we need to talk."

……………..

Reid spent the next day at home finally tidying up the mess of his books. The following day being a Friday and no new case yet was quiet. Flanders was off work with some deadly disease – they all hoped, so it was relaxed in the office for once. Well as relaxed as it could be.

Hotch was negotiating peacefully with Haley and they were at least on talking terms again. JJ was still smiling overly happily at Reid who was trying his best to be nice back, but every thing about her was just so fluff and sweet.

Prentiss was brushing her teeth in the lady's room when JJ walked in.

"Hey Emily" and JJ was grinning.

"What's going on JJ? You have a date?" She spat the toothpaste into the basin and JJ just stood grinning.

"Not yet – but I think I will do by the end of the day." She moved to the mirror and checked her makeup.

"Oh? Who've you got your eye on now?" Emily wiped her mouth and inspected her teeth in the mirror next to JJ

"Same; always the same, there is only one man for me Emily. There is a big party bash tonight. I am going to ask Spence to take me."

Emily turned and stared at JJ "You are going to ask him out again? Why? You know what he will say."

"I know he has been having problems lately Emily and I want to help him – I want to be the one by his side as he gets through all of this. I want to be the one he will turn to in a crisis. I adore him so Emily! You have no idea." She was grinning madly.

"He won't go on a date with you JJ." Emily put her toothbrush back in its special holder and returned it to her bag.

"How can you be so sure? It's a good bash – he wont be able to resist."

Emily turned around again. "He won't go on a date with you JJ why don't you back off and leave him alone."

"But how do you know? Has he got a girlfriend? What do you know?" JJ grasped Prentiss by the arm.

"I am a profiler JJ. I profiled him. Reid is gay."

JJ's jaw dropped and her hand came back and slapped Emily across the face. "How dare you! You nasty spiteful cow! You have never liked Reid, just because you can't get a man there is no need to be such a – a – bitch."

Emily slapped her back "For your information I am not looking for a man JJ, and its not spite it's the truth. He is more likely to go on a date with Morgan or Flanders than he is you."

JJ's hand went to her face. "I don't believe we are having this conversation." She pushed by Emily and walked back out to the bull pen. Reid glanced up at her and did a half smile then went back to his paper work.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful until the last half an hour.

Reid was just going to get a last coffee when JJ walked up behind him.

"Spence can I have a chat please?"

"Sure JJ what's wrong?"

He seemed like the same old Spence to JJ. Emily was wrong. "There is a really big party on tonight – and I was wondering if – erm – well if you would accompany me. You know be my date."

Reid opened his mouth then closed it again. A voice over JJ's shoulder saved him. In a sick and dangerous way.

"He's on a date with me tonight."

JJ span. It was Flanders.

"Yes I am on a date with F Floyd. Sorry JJ."

"You cannot be serious Spence. You are dating Flanders!" She spun to look at Reid again who was looking uncomfortable. "Spence?"

He just sighed and walked back to his desk with Floyd following. "So it's official?" He was hissing in Reid's ear. "I can get a Spence tattoo now?"

Reid grabbed his jacket and messenger bag and turned to Floyd. "Where are you taking me? And please don't say comic-con."

"A party. Somewhere where you can stretch your erm – no somewhere liberating. I think you will enjoy it."

……….

They went back to Reid's place to get ready. They showered and got ready for the big bash Floyd was taking him to.

Reid had on a short sleeved white shirt and dark brown trousers. His freshly washed hair was a mess and his face looked young and innocent. For now.

"So where is this party?" Reid asked as he tried to flatten his hair in the mirror.

"Don't worry about your hair Spence. You look great. I'm going to take you somewhere different." Reid looked at Floyd standing behind him in the mirror and smirked.

………..

The greatest pleasure. The most wonderful things imaginable cannot compare with being able to totally control someone. Floyd grinned back at Reid. It cannot compare with the smell of someone's soul slowly rotting in their hearts. He put a gentle hand on Reid's shoulder, and it cannot compare with being able to read every thought a person is having. He kissed Reid gently on the ear.

Everything you do is calculated. Everything is done for a reason. They don't even realise they are doing something they wouldn't normally. Not when they have already been primed and prepared the way Spence was. He was easy in so many ways. The odd way his brain worked. The strange way he was raised. It all gave way for a much faster despoiling. He had done this so many times before but never with anyone quite this beautiful. His feelings for Spencer were actually beginning to feel almost real. Only almost.

………………..

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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	18. Chapter 18 Take Me To Hell

Take Me To Hell

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine. The cat on my back is.

The party was being held in a big old warehouse. It was on the outskirts of the city in an area of broken buildings. Reid got out of the car and immediately wrapped his arms tightly around him.

"What's wrong?" Floyd was at his side.

"Is this party legal? They have a licence?"

An arm wrapped around Reid's shoulder. "Don't worry about things like that Spence. We are going to have fun. I am going to show you some good stuff here."

"Good stuff?" Something was niggling at the back of his mind, something that didn't feel right. A warning? Was he warned about something? It seemed so foggy now.

Floyd pulled Reid around until he was facing Floyd noses almost touching. Reid looked into the deep dark eyes. "It's all cool Spence. Just follow my lead. Don't worry; just be yourself." Spencer nodded slowly. "It's meant to be fun."

He took Spencer by the hand and led him towards to big bay doors at the front of the building. Reid could feel the ground vibrating with the force of the noise they were heading for. "I think this place might make me deaf." Reid shouted.

"That's the least of your worries Spence." A grin.

…………….

The place was packed solid with sweating heaving bodies. The noise was so high there was no way to use voice for communication. But then vocal communication didn't seem to be the thing to use here, not judging by what he could see.

Flanders felt Reid trying to pull back out of the building. He pulled him close and shook his head and pointed over to a door on the far side. Spencer looked confused but nodded.

They walked carefully over the writhing forms on the floor and wiggled by the couples in strange embraces. Again Floyd could feel the hesitation in Reid and had to pull him faster towards the door. Spencer felt hands touching him and things snagging at his hair. Someone was sliding a hand over his back. He noted that no one was touching Flanders. In fact they seemed to be actively avoiding him. Some when they saw who Reid was with backed off. Others still came closer to get a better look at the pretty young thing Floyd had brought along to the 'party'.

Reid desperately wanted to escape from this place. This was not the sort of party he was expecting. Half of these people were showing parts of their bodies they shouldn't be showing in public and definitely displaying the sort of affection you shouldn't show when people are watching.

Spencer let out a yelp and jumped forwards treading on a rubber clad person – gender undefined – as something – unknown – slid its way up the back of his shirt over his bare skin. He tried to turn around to see what it was, but the rubber thing on the floor grabbed at his ankles. He could feel he was going to over balance. He was falling backwards, and he didn't want to know where he was going to end up. Reid sort of bounced and rolled and slid amongst the people on the floor – some three deep. He scrambled to get up as the hands ran themselves over him; investigating this fine fresh new thing. This lovely new toy.

Something grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him out from under the suffocating pile of half naked bodies beginning to cover him. He fairly flew across the last ten foot of floor and bodies – some didn't look to be living – and was pushed through a door. He was now standing shaking on a small landing with wooden steps leading down to a reddish glow. Flanders slammed the door shut and the noise was immediately cut back to zero. He stood and looked at the door. How could that stop the amount of noise his ears had just been assailed to? Floyd put a hand on his shoulder.

"You alright Spence? Thought I had lost you to the rabble for a minute there."

Reid nodded. "What – what the – what the hell?"

"Come, let me show you down here. You will like it."

"I don't think so Floyd. I don't even really know why I am here with you. This isn't legal you know. Can we just go for a drink?"

"Down the stairs Spence love. I brought you specially. They are expecting you. I told them you were coming. We can't disappoint them now."

Reid started to move towards the door they just came through. "I don't know what I am doing here. Floyd let me go." And he was pulling away.

"Get down the stairs." A vice like grip around the back of his neck and another holding tightly onto his hair. "Down or you will be sorry."

There was no way Reid was going to go down those stairs to whatever it was Flanders had planned. He planted an elbow in Floyds solar plexus and a heal on his shin. Reid heard an 'umph' sound and in the sudden darkness he could also hear something breaking and there was pain. Lots of pain and then the red light became very bright and he realised he was laying at the bottom of the stairs. Carefully he opened his eyes and looked up at Flanders looking down at him.

"Get up." Flanders grabbed Reid by the front of his shirt and started to pull him up off the floor. "Raise a hand against me again and you will really regret it." Reid just stared at him. "Do you understand me Spence? You will do as you are told." A small nod. For now Reid needed to keep his man calm and do as he asked. He looked around the area he was standing in. Stairs going up where he had just come from, a row of three doors and the area under the stairs. It looked like one of the rotten wooden treads had snapped when he fell. The reddish glow was coming from the red bulbs in the light fitting.

"Floyd – you need to let go of me and permit me to leave this place. I don't want to be here with you."

"Then why did you? What was all that back at your place if you didn't want to be with me?" Damn this man and his brain. It just didn't hold the suggestions for as long as a normal person.

"I I I don't know, but now I need to leave." His neck hurt, his ribs hurt and he really needed to get out of here as quickly as he could and call someone about this place.

Flanders grabbed his hand and started to drag him forwards. There were very strange noises coming from behind the doors as they walked by. "What is going on here?" A small nervous voice came from Reid. "What is this place?"

"I am going to enlighten you Spence. Last door on the left please. Take a care this time. More stairs."

Reid tried to pull his hand away. "No Flanders, I don't know what you have planned but I am not going through that door." Reid reached into his pants pockets and pulled out his cell phone and pressed speed dial all in one swift action and pulled his hand out of Flanders backing up towards the stairs they had just come down.

"Hotch….pick up."

And the lights went out.

………………

Hotch heard his cell phone ring. He was at home and Haley was finally talking to him. She was talking about Jack and the car seat and other things your wife would talk to you about. He glanced over at the phone and her eyes hardened.

"Let me just see who it is." He picked it up and looked at the caller ID. Reid. Right now Reid was the last person he should talk to. He closed it. "It wasn't important." He said to Haley, and did something he very rarely did. He turned off the phone. Then he did something he had never done before and put it in a drawer and closed it away. Just for a few hours. If it was desperate they knew he was at home. He smiled at Haley who smiled back and carried on nattering about the car seat and how they needed to replace it.

…………….

The rest of what happened Reid only had vague confused memories of.

He was restrained laying on his front. His head was in a clamp of some kind so that he could only look down. He seemed to be laying on a wooden bench of some sort with a gap for his face to look down at a bucket under his face. Although he was strapped down he didn't think he would be able to move if he wasn't. He could barely open his eyes, he couldn't hear properly and he couldn't talk.

Reid could remember the smells and he could remember the pain. He could feel the heat and hear the strange voices muffled and speaking a language he didn't recognise. He could smell incense and hear distant chanting. He could feel things he really wished he couldn't feel moving over and in him and he knew now what the bucket was for as he screamed and vomited and finally begged them to stop.

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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	19. Chapter 19 You Gotta Believe In Me

You Gotta Believe In Me

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine. 

They didn't stop when he asked. Where would the fun in that be? They didn't stop until Reid was laying unconscious and twitching slightly. They rubbed oils into his back, and unguents where he was sore and bleeding. They listened to his soft moans and they smiled. Floyd laid down and smoked some smokes and drank some drink and when he was done and when Reid's moans and whimpers got louder he went and comforted him. The other people in the small smoky room also drank and smoked and injected and sniffed and licked their substances and played with the nice new toy Floyd had brought with him.

"You did good Floyd. That is one payment down. One more and you are free."

"Can the payment be a repeat of tonight. This one is rather sweet, and very resistant. He will be even more fun next time around."

"This young thing will serve us fine Floyd. Same time next week. He will need time to heal."

Floyd did a low bow and stood next to Reid. "Time to go soon. It's getting light." Reid dribbled and his eyes rolled back in response.

……….

They left the way they had arrived but this time Reid was over Flanders shoulder. Most of the people in the big upper room were gone. A few lay scattered on the floor and some stood in shadows. They all watched closely as Flanders left with his prize. He dumped Spencer in the back of his van and drove off. Eyes watched from the open door way and whisperings could be heard.

The sun was just beginning to rise when they got back to Reid's apartment. Flanders pulled up and went and opened the back of the van. As he leaned in a foot caught him square on the chin and a groggy Spencer followed it up with a smack in Flanders face with a bottle he had grabbed from the van where he hand been laying gradually waking up amongst the rubbish. Floyd rode the kick and stopped the bottle easily enough.

"Get out of the van Spence." Reid lay there unmoving, not sure what to do next.

"I want you to move away from the door Floyd. I still don't have to report this if you just move back and let me go."

"You have nothing to report Spence. Get out of the damned vehicle."

"Nothing to report – after what you and your friends did?" He started to move closer to the doors. "Move back out of the way."

"You think anyone will believe that? We went out, you got drunk, you had a nightmare and I brought you home."

"Move back." His feet had reached the opening of the rear doors. "Flanders, move."

And he did. But not in the manner Reid wanted. One hand grabbed Reid's ankle and pulled. The other hand formed fist and met Reid's mouth with a hard crack. His eyes stared straight ahead for a second or two, and then he flopped back into the van again.

"Looks like we are going back to my place then." He climbed into the back of the van and with some nylon ties cuffed Reid's hands behind his back. "Sorry about that, but you need to start playing the game by my rules Spencer." He slammed the van doors and got back in to drive the distance to his run down hole.

……………

There was a vile smell. Reid woke up gagging and retching. A hand with a cool cloth was next to him wiping sweat from his forehead. Reid wanted to slap the hand away but his hands were still cuffed behind his back. He opened his eyes and looked up at Flanders sitting next to him on a bed.

"Where – where are we?" He looked around at the derelict room.

"My place." He bent forwards and looked carefully at Reid. "I have a whole weekend of stuff planned for the two of us."

"What do you want from me Floyd?"

Floyd sighed. "It's a very long and very complicated story Spence. I don't have time to tell you. Sorry. I need to get you ready. I cant have you resisting me like this. I need you to be fully compliant."

"That's not going to happen though. You cannot force me to do what you want." Reid was struggling to sit. He felt too vulnerable laying on this dirty stained mattress.

"Spence my sweet, I can do whatever I please and you will let me."

"That won't happen Flanders." He managed to get to his knees and look around the room some more. There was a counter which would have served as a kitchen area, but it was covered in mouse droppings and there was a small door leading to a small boxed off area. Reid was just about to consider what the thought could be in the small room when he was told to get up and walk over there and open the door. Spencer moved carefully. The floor he could see now was bare wood boards and was covered in books and drug paraphernalia. He was led to the door which Floyd opened. Inside the tiny room was a dirty over flowing with filth toilet and pipe running along the wall. The smell was so over powering it made Reid want to throw up.

Flanders forced him down to the floor and used nylon ties to connect his bound hands to the pipe on the wall. "Struggle all you want Spence. It won't come out of its housing." He then wrapped ties around Reid's feet. His big eyes looked up at Flanders. "Don't look at me like that Spence. You brought this all on yourself."

"How? What did I ever do to you?"

"You existed. You resisted me. I have never felt such a strong mind before. It's quite delicious. You fascinate me Spencer. You make me feel things I have never felt before. You are going to be the final one. I can feel it! I am so close. But you cannot resist me like this. I need to break you."

"You can't keep me here Floyd." He was pulling desperately at the bindings on his hands and twisting his feet to loosen the ties.

Flanders picked up a filth bit of rag off the floor. It was covered in things Spencer didn't want to think of. Flanders ripped some lengths off it and twisted the bits together. "Sorry about this babe, but I need you to stay quiet now."

He tried to resist the filthy rag, but it was wrapped around his face and rammed into his mouth and held tightly. "I don't think you will be calling out for a while."

Flanders left the room and closed the door behind him.

…………..

Reid sat in pitch blackness. There didn't even seem to be any light seeping under the door. He could hear something bubbling and making little popping noises in the toilet bowl. He could hear rats scuttling over the floor. He could hear his heart pounding. He could hear whisperings from the other room. He could hear his breath coming too fast and too shallow.

He did want to die here, tied up in a dirty toilet somewhere.

The door eventually reopened and Flanders walked into the room. He sat astride Reid's legs and moved so close that Spencer couldn't pull back any further.

"Listen to me." Reid could feel the dampness of Flanders breath on him. "Look at me. This is important. This might save your life. You need to listen to me." Reid nodded. "Good. I want you to believe in my Spence. It's not your fault you are an alcoholic. It's not your fault you had a sudden lapse due to too much drink and I found you at the party trying to buy coke. That's all forgivable. I will protect you. You need to trust me."

This talk carried on for the whole weekend - at some point the gag was removed but the restraints stayed on. A one sided talk. Reid said nothing he just listened. He heard how dirty he was. He heard how useless he was. He learned about his weaknesses and he learned why he cannot stay away from drink. He started smoking cannabis and he begged for alcohol. He shook and cried and sobbed and finally by Sunday morning he was begging for help.

**A/N sorry for errors...really tired and my hands are not working properly.**


	20. Chapter 20 A Pill To Make You Numb

A Pill To Make You Numb

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

Reid sat in the dark alone. There was no sound. There was nothing but the gurgling from the festering toilet and the occasional scuttling of rats but even the rats seemed to be keeping their distance now. He sat and pulled his knees up close to this chest. How long had be been here? It must be days. Should he be back at work? Had anyone missed him? Where they looking for him? Or had it only been one day? Was it still only Saturday, if it was he didn't think he would be seeing Monday.

He desperately wanted a drink. He was gasping for something to smoke to take the edge off the pain he was feeling. His shoulders had been pulled back and his hands bound for so long that they were numb. He knew if, and it was a big if, they were ever released the pain would be unbearable.

Where the hell was Floyd? He needed him. He needed a drink. He needed a smoke. He needed to forget. Reid sat and thought of how Tobias had helped him and how he had killed him for the trouble. He shot Tobias who was only trying to help him. Someone he could reach out to for help and he killed him. Someone who needed help himself. Not a bad person really, just ill. Like himself. Just sick. Just in desperate need for someone to help.

When the door to his small stinking prison finally opened he was happy to see Floyd.

"Time to get you ready for work." He moved over and crouched down next to Spencer. "It's going to hurt. Take this pill; it will help with the pain. Or I have something I can inject. Up to you. Reid nodded at the pill. It was slipped gently between his lips and a bottle of vodka offered. Reid nodded again. Blessed relief at last! He took a couple of deep swigs from the bottle. He would have taken more if Floyd had let him. Then the snipping of the bonds and the pain.

He could feel he was being dragged out of the small cell into the large room he had been in before. There was a mattress in the middle of the room and books scattered on the floor, a pile of clothes – his clothes? – on top of said mattress and a bucket of hot soapy water.

"Wash. Get your hair clean. Then get changed."

Reid started to strip off. His shoulders screamed at him but gradually as whatever it was he had taken too effect and the pain lessened. His wrists were cut and bruised. His mouth hurt. He had a split lip from somewhere, he couldn't remember where now. Not that it mattered. He probably deserved it.

Slowly he washed his body down and washed his hair and stood shivering as Floyd threw a towel to him. "Hurry up; I need you almost presentable for work. I don't want questions asked."

Floyd had obviously been back to Reid's place at some point over the weekend and picked out some clothes for him. A pair of beige trousers and a long sleeved almost white shirt with deep cuffs, and a brown cardigan. Floyd had even provided one dark brown and one mid brown sock for him. With shaking hands and damp messy hair he pulled on the clothes and stood staring at the floor. Flanders came over and gave him his watch. "Remember to keep that over your sleeve like always. I don't want them seeing the marks on your wrists. Understand?" A small nod. You know this is all for your own good don't you Reid? You know I am the only one who can help you now don't you? You have to understand that the others in the team will be watching you, waiting for you to stumble and fall. If you need me – I am here always. Never too far away to reach out to." Another small nod. "Avoid Aaron, well avoid being alone with Aaron. He just wants to hurt you."

"I know."

"He played his games with you then went back to his wife."

"I know."

"I am here for you."

"I know."

"Avoid one on one conversations with any team members."

"I will."

"Good, then it's time to go. If there is anything, any problems, questions they ask and you don't know how to answer then don't panic, I will be there."

……………

The walked out of the elevator; Flanders in front and Reid behind him, almost hiding behind his new protector. Floyd walked to his desk and Reid walked to the coffee.

This will be good. Just make the coffee then sit down; you can manage that. Coffee, sugar, you can manage. He could see his hands were shaking.

"You have a good weekend Reid?" Morgan's voice right next to him.

"Erm; yes thank you." He didn't look up, just looked down into the drink he had in his hands.

"Rumour has it that you had a date. Is that why you sound so tired?" Sticking his nose in again. Always needing to know his business.

"Yes I had a date, and I am not tired." _Avoid one on one conversations._ He turned a small half circle and walked away. _Avoid one on one conversations._

Morgan followed Reid back to his desk where he threw down his messenger bag and sat slowly down on his chair. "You really don't look so good buddy. Are you sure you are alright?"

"Morgan g g go away." That was a little nervous stammer there Spencer, now he will know. Keep your mouth shut and do what Floyd told you. He pulled out his pen and grabbed a stack of paperwork off his desk.

The next assault came from JJ.

"Spence! What on earth have you done to your face?" _Avoid one on one conversations. _Ignore her. "Looks like your date went well." How can shell tell that from his bruised face and split lip? "Did he do that to you?" Her fingers under his chin and lifting his face to look at hers. "My god Spence what happened?"

"N n n nothing – nothing happened JJ." He pushed her hand away. "I don't like to be touched."

Conspiratorial whispering. "Was this your date with Flanders? Did he do this to you?"

Reid stood up and with the palms of his hand on JJ's shoulders he pushed her back out of the way. He opened his mouth to say something and caught Flanders watching him. _Avoid one on one conversations. _"Get out of my personal space JJ. Stop crowding me."

"Fine – have it your way Reid, but you look a mess. Round table room in five please everyone." And with a final look at Spencer who was sitting down again, and a glance over at Flanders, she was walking up to Hotch's office.

His stomach turning over with butterflies he looked up for some re-assurance from Flanders, who wasn't at his desk. Morgan was giving Reid one of his sideways glances Prentiss was looking over with curiosity on her face. Did he look that bad? He hadn't seen his face in a mirror. He had no idea if he looked as bad as they all seemed to be saying.

"_I can't do this. I can't sit here all day having people staring at me. I don't know what to do. I can't deal with this. I need Flanders. Where the hell is he?"_

The men's room – a good place to hide out in until Flanders comes back. Actually that might even be where he was! He leapt to his feet and realised that the pain was coming back again. He ached in general all over. He wondered if he had cracked some ribs when he fell down those stairs. He knew he let out a small whimper of pain when he stood. There were three sets of eyes watching him so his hands couldn't go and rub his aching shoulders or comfort his painful wrists or check to see if he had done more damage than he first thought to his ribs or check out all the other pains he was feeling stabbing through his body. The only answer: The men's room and prey Flanders was there.

The men's room door slammed behind him. He walked to the basins he had stood in front of so many times before and looked into the eyes of a stranger in the mirror. This wasn't the face he usually saw there. This was the face of someone who looked sick. He looked tired, and he definitely looked like he had been beaten. He slowly put his fingers to the marks around his nose and mouth – marks the gag had made. The gag Flanders had forced into his mouth. He ran a finger over his lip and tried to remember when he did that. He saw bruises on the sides of his face just under his hair along his jawline, and marks along his neck. Slowly he pushed back his cuffs and looked at his wrists. Swollen and bruised and scabbed.

This wasn't the result of a good party. This was Flanders.

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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	21. Chapter 21 All Legs Knuckles And Knees

All Legs Knuckles And Knees.

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

Reid left the men's room in a rush. He felt confused. He felt dirty. He needed a shower. A shower in very hot water. He felt ashamed. What had he been doing? What had happened? It was all blurring into one confusing lump. He needed to talk to Flanders. He needed to talk to Hotch. Keeping his head down and his arms tightly around him he walked quickly to Hotch's office. He opened the door and walked in without knocking, but the room was empty. The meeting. He had to get to the meeting but they would all be in there. They will stare at his face. Keep your face down and don't talk. That will be good. Just act natural.

He slid into the room quietly and sat at a chair facing the door. Hotch was standing talking to JJ. The others filtered in behind him and took their usual positions. Reid pulled his chair back away from the table slightly into the shadows at the edge of the room. They ignored him. Good this was good.

_Morgan: What the hell has happened to Reid? I will be having a strong talk with Flanders later._

_JJ: He looks dreadful! What happened to him? Why won't he tell us?_

_Prentiss: He looks bad even for Reid._

_Hotch: I could have stopped this if I had taken his call._

_Flanders: I can see I need to take this to the next step. I have never experienced such a resistance as this. This is exciting!_

…….

JJ nattered on about car jackings and the murders of the driver and passengers of these cars. Local law enforcement called them in when one of their own was murdered along with his wife and two small children.

"Any car jacking stats?"

Silence.

"Reid?" Hotch's voice. _Avoid one on one._

"No. Nothing."

Morgan looked over at the young profiler and got up. "Excuse me for one minute. I need to get something."

Flanders watched him leave. Nothing he could do about it now. He looked over at Reid fiddling with his watch and cuffs of his shirt. He really needed to stop doing that. The room had gone silent. Eyes flicking from one person to the next, but all eyes avoiding Flanders. They sat and waited for Morgan to come back. He had a mug of coffee in his hand. He put it in the middle of the table and sat down. Faces looked at Morgan and frowned with questions.

"Reid buddy – coffee. You look like you are falling asleep over there."

Reid looked up under his hair at the mug on the table. "I I I'm not t tried. Thank you." He moved his chair forward slightly and reached over the table for the mug. He had never been able to resist a mug of coffee. Hotch watched Reid's hand moving slowly. He saw the cuff of his shirt ride up slightly. He glanced at Spencer's face and saw the wince on of pain on his face. Then back to the wrist now showing below the cuff.

"Can you all leave please? I need to talk to Reid."

"I will stay." Flanders. "If he has something to say I want to hear it."

The others got up and slowly left. Morgan looked over at Reid and nodded. He knew what was happening. Would someone please tell Reid! He sat with his hand still reaching out for the coffee – frozen in fear.

"Flanders I need you to leave. Close the door behind you on the way out."

Floyd looked at Reid still sitting there unmoving. Reid looked back into Floyd's eyes and was sure he saw that slight red glow there again. Spencer thought he was going to be sick. The sudden rush of adrenaline was making his heart thump so hard he was sure they could see it through his shirt. He heard the door shut and he felt the small breeze of air as someone pulled a chair up and sat next to him. A hand over his and guiding it back away from the coffee.

"Reid what happened? Let me see your other wrist."

Reid closed his eyes and left his hand resting on his leg. He felt Aaron reach over and pick it up and push the watch back out of the way. He heard a small intake of breath. He felt hands pushing his hair off his face and fingers running over marks on the side of his face.

"Spencer, you have been restrained. Tell me what happened?"

A very slow almost imperceptible shake of the head. "I don't remember. It's alight – I feel alight."

"This is not alright. Stand up. I want to see what else."

Very slowly he did as he was asked. _Avoid one on one. Avoid Aaron. _

"It's my fault Aaron. I got drunk. I deserved it. Please don't make a fuss."

"No one deserves this Spencer."

"I fell downstairs. I hurt my ribs and banged myself up a bit. I will be fine.

He started to walk towards the door.

"Really I don't need a fuss made. I will be fine. I just feel a bit tender. I think I learned my lesson. It won't happen again."

"You were with Flanders when this happened?" Aaron looked angry.

"I was at the party, yes. I got carried away. I drank too much. It's not Flanders fault. He took care of me."

A comforting hand on Reid's shoulder and then pulling him close. "You know I am always there for you Spencer. You know that don't you?"

"I just fell Aaron." Resting a tired head on his boss's shoulder. "I will be fine now."

"Your wrists Spencer. That doesn't happen falling drunk down stairs."

Reid pulled back a bit and looked down at the bruises. "No they don't." He looked up into Aarons face. "I called you. I begged you to pick up. I needed you."

"Spencer. I couldn't take the call. Haley." Hotch ran a hand over the back of Spencer's neck and pulled him in close again. He could feel see the breath shuddering inside Reid trying to break out into a sob.

"I I I know. I'm s s – I'm sorry." And he turned and ran from the room.

Reid could feel the bile rising in his throat. He had to get to the men's room. Morgan stood from his desk and caught Hotch's gaze and his shake of a head. Derek sat down again. Both men watched Reid's retreat to the apparent safety of the men's room.

…………..

He stood again looking in the mirror and watched the tear running down his face next to his nose. He rubbed angrily at his eyes then looked back into the mirror. Behind him stood Flanders.

He watched in some kind of weird slow motion as Flanders reached up and took hold of the back of his shirt. He felt Floyd pull him away from the mirror and push him into the end stall. Reid put his hands out to stop himself falling and felt the pressure of Flanders behind him. He had a good idea what was going to happen next and yes, he deserved this. Didn't he? He heard the lock being slid across and felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Turn around."

He slowly did as he was told. He looked into the face he feared but yet needed. "I I I Floyd."

"What did you tell him?"

"Nothing. That I was drunk and fell downstairs." He could feel he was shaking.

"Get down on your knees." A hand was on his head pushing him downwards.

"No! No Floyd" Pleading.

"You owe me." Demanding.

"Please don't." Begging.

And he felt his knees hitting the floor hands holding tightly onto his hair and twisting fingers. He grabbed hold of Flanders legs to stop himself falling as his head was tipped back. He moved his hands up and grabbed hold of Flanders waistband. His knuckles white, his legs shaking, on his knees in the men's room.

"Payment please."

………………

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	22. Chapter 22 Allegedly Loyal

Allegedly Loyal

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

He turned and unlocked the door. Flanders stepped out and Reid fell forwards on his hand and knees.

Flanders was looking Morgan in the eyes. Spencer was looking at the floor.

"What the hell are you doing?" Morgan knew full well though. He was just hoping for an explanation which wouldn't mean he had to kill Flanders.

"It's private. It's personal. It's none of your business." Flanders spat back.

Spencer was getting to his feet but was still looking at the floor. "Reid, what the hell did he just do to you?"

"Nothing. It's nothing." He went to the basins and filled washed his hands then filled them with water and drank.

"Flanders I know something is going on and it is going to stop now."

Floyd looked away from Morgan towards Spencer. "He was sick. I came to comfort him."

"Tell him Spence."

"Mmmm I was sick. Nothing to worry about."

Morgan walked over to Reid and pulled his hands out of the basin. He pulled back his cuffs to look at his wrists properly. Flanders stood and watched. "How did this happen? I'm your friend Reid, you can tell me." He glanced over at Floyd who was standing leaning on the wall of the stall.

"A party game that got out of control, Derek. Really it is nothing to worry about."

"Once hell of a freaky party game Reid."

He nodded turned and walked out of the men's room.

Flanders still stood looking at Morgan. "Right Flanders, now he has gone, tell me what you did to him or I will have to beat the information out of you, so son of a bitch!"

"Oh stop ranting Morgan. This is so tiresome. I did nothing. I just stood with him whilst he was sick down the toilet. Since when has that been a crime?"

"What did you do to his wrists? What the hell else have you been doing to him?"

"Morgan, your muscles have gone to your brain. I have done nothing to sweet Spence. Nothing he didn't want. Now if you will excuse me I have a job to do. Some people have been murdered I believe? A bit more important than what Spence was doing in the men's room don't you think."

"I know what you are doing. You won't get away with it." Morgan stood nose to nose with Flanders.

A finger touched Derek's chest. "You – my man – you have not the slightest idea what I am doing and yes Derek – I will get away with it. Now back out of my space before I smash that lovely face of yours on the porcelain." He put his palm on Morgan's chest and pushed him aside. Flanders left the men's room.

…………….

Reid sat at his desk. He could feel eyes boring into him. He could sense their thoughts. _"He is pathetic. He is filth. He is a nothing. He deserves this. Freak."_

Slowly he picked up his pen and pulled over a form he needed to fill him. Hot tears burning behind his eyes – he wanted to get out of this place. There was no way he could go out in the field like this. He couldn't think – he was shaking – he needed a drink.

He stood up and grabbed his messenger bag. Everyone was watching him. "I don't feel well. I'm going home." And he was walking towards the elevator. A voice behind him forced him to slow down. Aaron.

"Wait Reid, I will give you a lift home on the way to the airport. Wheels up in twenty." He called over his shoulder and was gently guiding Reid out of the office

They stood in the elevator together. "Now tell me what the hell is going on Reid. He can't hear you here."

He kept his eyes down. "Nothing to tell Hotch. Nothing" and a sigh. "I called you. I needed help then. It's too late now."

"What did he do? I can't help you if you won't tell me."

"It's far too late now Aaron. Thank you. Go back to Haley. Go back to your family. Stop playing with me. I don't know which way to turn. You seem to want me close, to protect me, but when I needed you, you weren't there Aaron. You were with Haley."

"She is my wife Spencer."

The elevator stopped at the ground floor.

"I am going home. I don't need a lift."

Hotch kept walking next to Reid. "I am sorry Spencer."

Reid stopped and looked at Aaron with those big eyes of his. "I am confused Aaron. I don't know how to cope with this. I don't know what to do."

"I wish I could stand around sorting this out with you Spencer. I don't have time. I need to get the flight. Go home take bath and rest. I will contact you when I get back. Spencer. Stay away from Flanders." He felt a pang of hate welling up inside him. This is how Haley felt. She too felt abandoned by Aaron.

"Hotch." Spencer put a hand out and touched the back of Aaron's hand. "Sorry." And he walked out of the building towards the subway.

……………..

He didn't go home though. He didn't even get on a train. He caught a cab and gave an address and it drove him through the city then dumped him off in a street full of bright flashing lights. He handed the cab driver some money and wandered in through a doorway. Although it was day time it was dark in here. A bar. A place he could sit and relax and drink and smoke if he wanted to. He didn't really want to, but he could. He ordered a large whisky straight and sat back listening to the jazz playing from the machine and taking in the feel of the place. He loved it here. He would come in secret and people watch. Sometimes imagining inserting himself into the conversations other people were having.

The regulars knew him. They knew not to bother talking to him. He never really chatted back. He would sit and spout off his useless information at people. Not the best company, but pretty to look at.

Some of them were watching him, he looked bad today, he looked like he had been in a fight. Wasn't he a cop or something? How does a freak become a cop? How is that possible? They laughed about that. For a very short while they laughed. It stopped when they saw the other man enter the bar.

They had seen these two together before. The other one was a cop too. Tall with longish hair and sometimes in glasses he had dark hair and looked maybe Italian, though his accent was more American English. They watched him move in towards the pretty one with the beaten up face.

"Hey, thought I would find you here."

Reid looked up when he heard Flanders voice. "You should be on the jet."

"Yes well, I didn't fancy it. I wanted to keep you company."

"I don't want your company Floyd." Reid shuffled along the bench seat away from Floyd.

"I realise that, but I want you to come with me back to the office. I need you to come back with me now." His hand was holding tightly onto Reid's shoulder.

"Get off me!" Reid tried to pull away again.

"Get up off your arse and come with me or I will hurt you so bad Spence. Now."

………….

He guided Spencer out of the building and called a cab. The ride was short and tense. Reid spent the journey looking out of the window, wondering what Flanders was going to do with him, and how to escape from a man who just seemed to do what he wanted when he wanted. They walked together back into the building and got in the elevator. They were three and a half floors up when the elevator stopped.

"You should realise I had this planned. I want you to remember this moment every time you get in here. When you come to work, and when you leave work."

Reid looked at Flanders with a look of resignation on his face. "What do you want me to do?" He walked over to him and pushed Flanders against the wall. He wrapped his hands around the back of Flanders head and ran his tongue over Floyd's lips. It was obvious Aaron didn't want him anymore. He had turned him aside for Haley, so this was second best. He couldn't avoid it, so may as well enjoy it while he could.

………………..

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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	23. Chapter 23 Torture And Shame

Torture And Shame.

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

Garcia sat in her bunker watching the monitors. She saw Reid and Flanders coming back in. She watched them get in the elevator and she watched the elevator get stuck. She noticed that no one pressed the emergency button and was about to get up and sort it out for them when she noticed what Reid was doing.

Garcia sat back down again and watched. Sometimes her hand would go over her mouth in shock.

"I shouldn't be watching this!" Pen said to herself.

………….

Hotch, Prentiss, Morgan and JJ sat on the jet looking down at their files discussing the case. Prentiss shuddered and looked up expecting the cause of this to be Flanders, but he didn't seem to be there. She put down her file and looked down the length of the jet.

"Has anyone seen Flanders?" She sounded a bit nervous.

Hotch's head snapped up and he too looked down the length of the jet. The file had been given was laying on the table in front of the chair he had been sitting in but how long ago was it he last contributed to their discussion? Hotch got up and walked down to the small galley. "Flanders – Are you down here?" A look of panic crossed Aaron's face. "Morgan check with the pilots – quickly."

Morgan leapt from his seat and went and tapped gently on the door and used the intercom by the door "Just checking all is ok, can you open up?"

The door was opened to reveal the cockpit and the two pilots "Everything is good here Morgan, what's the problem?"

"We seem to have mislaid an agent."

……………..

Garcia couldn't watch this. She was about to contact Hotch and the team via web cam link when Hotch beat her to it.

"Garcia, we have a problem. We can't find Flanders."

Pen looked down at her keyboard. "Sir – I know exactly where he is. I am watching him on CTV in the elevators."

"Can you link that up to me please Garcia?"

"Well yes, but its not really – well he's not alone sir. I don't think you will want to see this."

"Garcia just do it please."

"Sir – the elevator is stuck between floors. He isn't alone. I don't think – I really think this is private. Sir." She looked worried.

"What do you mean?"

"He is with Reid sir. I don't think you want to see this. I will feed it to you sir, but Reid initiated this." She ran her fingers over her keyboard and sent the feed across to Hotch. "Maybe you shouldn't let the others see this yet sir."

…………………

"You realise that they have cameras in here don't you Spence?" Floyd put his hands on Reid's shoulder and gently pushed him away.

"I know." And he pulled back in twisting his fingers in the back of Flanders hair.

"The tech will watch this performance of yours." Floyd was unsure how to take this sudden rush of lust from Reid.

"Let her watch. I am sure she has seen worse." Spencer started to unbutton Floyd's shirt.

"You really shouldn't be seducing me in the elevator Spence. Let's take this somewhere more private."

Reid took a half step back and ran his tongue over his lips. "Yes Floyd why don't we. The men's room seems to be more your kind of place. Amongst the dirt. It suits you." He ran his fingers up Floyd's chest.

Flanders slapped Reid's hand away. He knew Garcia was watching and there was a good chance she was hooking it up with Hotch too. So let them see how this is Spence and not him. "You loved it on your knees Spence. Admit it."

Reid stepped forwards again. "Is this compliant enough for you? Now you have me, what are you going to do with me Floyd?"

"Don't taunt me. Either do something or step back. This must be why Aaron went back to his wife. He would rather Haley than you constantly teasing." Spencer's hand was raised and across Flanders face before he could stop it. The hurt and anger he felt for what Aaron had done came flooding back as the gates of pain suddenly opened. Flanders stood grinning on the inside and put a hand up to his face. He growled between clenched teeth "Come on Spence kill me now because if you don't I will make you wish for pain."

This time it was Spencer's fist trying to make contact with Flanders. Floyd watched the incoming fist and watched the tears of anger exploding down Reid's face. His hand moved up and enclosed Reid's fist in his own. One jerking twist later and Reid was looking at the floor of the elevator with Flanders over him with one knee on his back and Reid's arm twisted behind him. "I told you to kill me Reid." His hand moved around and slid Reid's gun from its holster. "You should have done it when you had the chance. Now you are going to be in such trouble my little friend."

It was at this point that the elevator suddenly sprang back into action.

……………

"Sir?" Garcia was talking to Hotch. "What do you want me to do?"

"Stay with us Garcia. I want you to keep them on here. I want to know what Reid is up to." Though he had a very good idea what it was, there was no way he could talk to the team about this.

"I don't believe Reid just jumped Flanders!" Prentiss was sitting looking at the screen with her mouth open.

"I still don't know how Flanders got to be there when he was here with us." Morgan sat looking at the place Floyd had been sitting and then back to the monitor they had just been watching. "I promise you, I am going to kill that man. You better keep me away from him."

JJ just sat and stared at the screen. The last vestiges of hope gone down the pan when she sat and watched Spencer hit on Floyd. Then just hit him.

"We have to go back and help him" Morgan was on his feet and pacing.

"Flanders can look after himself." Aaron was looking through his notes again, trying to keep his cold professional front showing, and hiding the painful screaming guilt bubbling around under the surface.

"I was talking about Reid. What the hell is going on Hotch? You know something and you're not telling us. What's this?" Flicking the monitor with his fingers. "What this all about?"

"We have a case to look into Morgan. The situation back there is out of our control. Reid will be talked to when we get back. I can't have his personal life constantly interfering with his job." He looked back down at the monitor to see Garcia looking at them.

"Where are they Garcia?" Hotch sounded worried.

"You wont like it Sir. Not sure if I should do something about it. Call security?"

"Garcia?"

"They are in your office sir"

…………………..

"Not in here Floyd." Reid was shoved bodily through the door to Hotch's office.

"Why not? Wont be the first time." Flanders slammed the door and turned the lock. "I knew you would do this. You are all over me when you know Garcia is watching, and then pull back as soon as you know we are really alone."

"No – don't – not here Floyd." Reid was walking around the other side of Hotch's desk to keep the distance between them.

"What are you so scared of Spence?"

"I'm not scared of you Floyd. I just don't want this happening in Aaron's office." He rubbed quickly at his eyes stinging with shame.

Flanders was standing there next to Reid and putting his arm around his shoulder. "Not scared of me? Why on earth not? You know what I can do? Have you forgotten? Do you need a little reminder?"

As whatever it was tightened around his throat and squeezed and dug into his skin and the greyness of unconsciousness drifted in around the edges of his vision Reid could feel those calloused hated hands on him and manoeuvring him. He tried again to beg it not to be here. Not with these friendly smells and sights. Not amongst the only things which gave him comfort.

He looked up at Floyd and looked into those deep bottomless eyes.

"You scared yet?"

…………………

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**!!A/N: I support the WGA 2007 STRIKE!!

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	24. Chapter 24 I Am Everything

I Am Everything.

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

It wasn't the best time he had ever had. This was an interesting subject he had chosen but now he was becoming dangerous. He didn't actually regret picking Reid for this, but he regretted leaving him until last. He should have known it would take longer with this one. He should have predicted this problem. This resistance. He could feel the barriers falling slowly. He could feel he was going to be his, but now he was going to have to rush it. A great shame. He wanted to torment Aaron some more first. He would have liked to be able to stop around after this and see the fall out. Watch the rest of them fall apart because they failed, and even if they didn't, he would have made sure it felt like they had.

He took Spencer from Aaron's office and down in the elevator again. This time Reid just stood and did nothing and Flanders winked at the camera. Hotch wasn't available to watch this link but Garcia watched it and she felt sick. She had no idea what Flanders had done to him, but whatever it was had broken a bit more of the Spencer they all loved away.

She got up and walked slowly to Hotch's office. The door stood open. She looked in without stepping over the threshold. Something told her she didn't want to do that. The room was a mess. It looked like there had been a robbery. She entered slowly – catching the smell of something nasty as she entered. Something that smelt of fear. She flipped open her phone and called Hotch.

"Sir, I was wondering what to do with the mess they have left your office in." A pause. "Yes sir. Well there are signs of a struggle. Sir – I really am not the best person to be doing this. I would feel much happier calling in security." Another pause. "I understand." She stepped back away from the door and closed it. "I am not completely happy being here you know sir. What do I do if he returns?" Garcia nodded "I will do." And she flipped her phone shut. She stood looking at the door for a while and walked slowly back to her bunker, via Reid's desk. She stood and ran her fingers over his work surface. "What happened to you Sweetcheeks?" she sighed deeply and went back to her computers.

……………..

Different hole – same situation. Reid was cuffed again, but this time his hands were above his head. Once again it was some kind of latrine. Ancient stinking and rat infested. There was another smell he couldn't quite remember though. Some dark smell from somewhere. Something so terrifying that when he started to get vague memories of it he shook with fear.

Flanders stood and smiled at him. "I remember from the files I looked at when I arrived that you were taken hostage by Tobias Hankel." Reid just stared at him. "Well it gave me an idea." Flanders stood a camcorder on a shelf in front of Reid. "I figured they enjoyed it last time. The tapes are still available to watch you know. There are stored in archives. They will be used for study and for showing to students. 'what not to do when captured by a psychotic sadist.' I wonder if you have learned anything from that experience."

Spencer said nothing.

"He drugged you. That's on file too. You were a junky. A druggy scum."

Reid looked down at the floor by his feet.

"I was thinking though – he did that to help you. I don't think you need help this time. I want your friends and lover to see your pain."

"You won't win." A mumble.

"We shall see and even if I don't – they will think I have. Spence love, they didn't even come back to help you. They don't care about you. Strangers mean more to them than you do."

"That's not true. They are on a case."

"A case they can't solve. They will be gone a while. They won't be back in time to save you Spence."

Silence.

Flanders stood and lit a cheroot. He blew the smoke in Reid's face. "Time for the fun to begin I think." He moved over to the camera and took it down from the shelf and walked into the adjoining room. He came back and uncuffed Reid from the pipe he was attached to and half dragged him out to the next room. The set up was almost the same as his last place except this room had more furniture in it. If it can be called that. Reid tried to stop and take in what he was seeing, but was being dragged too quickly to his destination. It was around the middle of the room. A contraption which looked like the frame for a swing without the swing hanging from it. There were ropes but nothing to sit on.

"Don't look so worried Spence, this is pure entertainment." Spencer tried again to pull his arm out the grip it was being held in. He didn't know what Floyd had planned but it really didn't look good. He wanted to beg and ask to be released, but that camera was watching, and he wasn't going to give in to his games. He had begged Hankel and nothing had come of it. He wasn't about to do it again.

He felt his hands being pulled behind his back and he felt an intricate knot being tied keeping his hands together. He tried in his tired head to work out what sort of knot it was but couldn't think straight enough or fast enough. When he felt Floyd move down and start to bind his ankles together he kicked out. He met something solid with the heel of his foot and even got the pleasure in hearing a soft 'shit' from Flanders but it didn't stop him. It didn't stop the rope from being twisted around his ankles and then pulled and secured to the floor.

Now Reid was confused. He couldn't move, if he tired he would just fall over. His feet held still, his hand behind his back and Flanders walking around in front of him.

"How many times Spence? How many times do I have to say to you not to raise a hand to me? How many times have I said you will regret it? You will regret it. I was going to just send some frightening 'what if' images to your friends. Now they are going to be 'Look what you let me do' images. I hope you are happy."

"You need me Floyd. You won't kill me." Such false bravado! How he managed to say that and not stutter and stammer he didn't know. He wanted to scream and cry and curse them for letting this happen again. Where the hell was Hotch? Where were the team? Why hadn't Garcia done anything when she knew they were together?

He felt Flanders hands move over the buttons on Reid's shirt. "I think this will be more effective topless. I want them to see what I am doing properly." Flanders moved away quickly and returned with a pair of very sharp but rusty scissors and proceeded to cut Spencer's shirt from him.

Now he felt too exposed and vulnerable. Now he needed to have his hands back. Now he needed to wrap himself in his arms and give himself comfort. He started to panic. He started to do that which he promised he wouldn't. He looked at Floyd and pleaded with his eyes and let the tears drop.

Flanders stood behind Reid and Reid was sure he was securing his hands to one of the ropes hanging down from the top bar. He felt a soft mouth kissing his shoulder blades and a tongue running across the top of his back to the other shoulder and more gentle kisses and then whispering in his ear. "You are right Spence, I need you alive. I need you to make my payment with, my final payment. To free myself, but my sweet you are going to wish you were dead. Over and over again you will wish you were dead."

He felt the rope going from his hands to the other rope suddenly tighten and images flashed through his head of devices he has seen illustrations to text in many books his mother used to have hanging around the house. He suddenly knew exactly what Floyd had planned and he wanted to beg and cry and ask him to let him go, but already it was too late. Already he could feel his hands being pulled up behind his back and upwards. He could feel the strain in his shoulders and he felt indescribable pain. He really wanted this to stop. He opened his mouth to say something, but the only sound he could make was a long drawn out scream. He had forgotten the camera, he had forgotten his promise to himself not to beg and right now he had forgotten the struggle to come of Dilaudid, anything to kill this pain. Death, please. Now would be nice.

His shoulders made ripping popping sounds as the greyness seeped in around his eyes. He felt the cold water hit him and stop his descent into the world where there was no pain. He couldn't even scream now. He couldn't breathe, his heart thumped at an odd speed and threatened to stop as finally his hands were wrenched to above his head and his shoulders dislocated. The rope was now tied off and he was left.

He couldn't smell the cheroot Flanders had lit. He couldn't hear the satisfied sigh; all he could hear was his body screaming and his voice muttering. "Please don't. Please stop." Over and over and finally blessed nothingness crept along and took him with it.

………………….

He thought he had died, so why was he laying on this bench? Surely he hadn't been so bad that this was his eternity? No he could hear Floyd. He could smell Floyd. That sick smell of decomposition he seemed to have around him now. Almost like he himself was dying and rotting away. His hands were numb, his arms? Well he didn't think they could be attached to his body anymore. It felt like they had been ripped out yet he could feel his hands and he could feel that once again something was being tied around them.

"Don't worry Spence love." And a rag was stuffed in his mouth. "Don't spit it out; it will stop your biting your tongue off when I pop these shoulders back."

……………

Garcia was grumbling to her self and looking at static on her monitor. She punched in a number with the end of her pen and waited two rings.

"Sir it's me again. I have been looking through the security camera footage from in your office sir." She paused waiting for Hotch to say something. She heard him sigh. "Well apart from the occasional blank area and times the camera gets obscured by something. Well sir – the events which recently unfolded in your office – nothing recorded. All we have is what happened in the elevators and I am still getting the sound cleaned up sir, but Reid definitely initiated what happened there. All of it Sir, and Flanders definitely seemed to be almost fending him off." A pause. "I am trying Sir, I have called his cell and it's turned off. No answer from his home phoned. Same with Flanders." Another pause. " I will do so Sir." And she flicked the button with her pen again.

……………….

Reid could hear someone begging. It couldn't have been him. He had promised he wouldn't do that. Not again. Not on camera.

Reid could hear someone crying.

Reid could hear someone laughing.

……………

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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	25. Chapter 25 He Is The Taker

He Is The Taker

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

He lay on a pile of old blankets. He was curled around his victim. Reid was still not awake. That was fine. Since when did he ask? He could see the bruises coming up across Spencer's bare back over his shoulders and in patches of angry red and blue down his arms. His wrists still cut and bruised from before were now bleeding again. Really he should get up and get those on camera. He was sure Aaron would want to see that but right now he wanted this comfort and this warmth coming from Spencer. He kissed him gently on the back of his neck. "Sorry Spence. Really I am – you should have just let me do what I wanted. You could have avoided all of this." He got a low whimpering sound in reply. "I will permit you to sleep Spencer, but I think a few still photos are in order first."

He unravelled himself from Reid and moved slowly over to a shelf. He grabbed a Polaroid camera and returned to Spencer. Pulling roughly with a twist of hatred over his face he rolled Spencer onto his front and then took photos of his shoulders. He rolled him over onto his back and took placed Reid's hands on his chest and took pictures of his bloodied bruised hands and arms and for luck – in case she didn't know what she was looking at he took some of Reid's face.

They looked good. There was no way to tell if this was a corpse or a living person. It made him smile. He picked up and pen and carefully wrote something along the bottom of the pictures, and then divided them into three piles. He pulled out two envelopes and carefully wrote addresses on them. One lot of photos went in one – another pile in the other. The envelopes had self adhesive strips, not that it would matter. He would think they would have a pretty good idea who was sending these.

…………..

Garcia was on her door step leaving for work. "Excuse me – are you Penelope?" A child's voice. She looked down to see a blonde haired boy holding out an envelope. "The man in the glasses told me to give this to you. He said for you to enjoy it."

She took the envelope and turned it over in her hands. This will go straight to the lab. She was not going to open it here.

…………

Haley stood on her doorstep looking down the road. Someone playing games. The doorbell had gone but no one there. She looked down and saw an envelope on the step. She bent down and picked it up. It was addressed to Mrs Aaron Hotchner. She turned it over in her hand and looked at the handwriting. It wasn't familiar. She went back into the house and through to the kitchen. Coffee was on, and Jack was in his playpen. She sat on a stall and poured coffee and ripped open the envelope. She tipped it out and six photographs fell to the work surface. With a puzzled look on her face she piled them together and looked at the one on the top. It look her a while to figure out what it was. Someone's back. Covered in marks – it wasn't Aaron's back she knew that. Why had someone given her these? She looked at the next one. Hands laying across a chest. They had been bleeding. The chest was bruised. Still she didn't recognise it. The next was of shoulder and arm. Hideous bruising again. The skin was nearly black in places. She should call Aaron and tell him – but curiosity forced her to look at the next one. The hands again. She could see whoever it was had been restrained and beaten. She could see the marks on his ribs. She flipped over the next one. The face. She knew that face. She hated that face. She had to phone Aaron. She needed to tell him one of his Agents was dead.

Why had someone sent her pictures of this? Did Aaron know this had happened? She slammed them down on the work surface and picked up the phone.

……….

"Haley – are you alright?"

"Aaron someone has sent me some pictures – Polaroid's of a victim. The envelope was on the door step."

"What sort of pictures?" Horrific murder scenes were playing through Aaron's mind.

"They look to be of someone who has been beaten. Lots of bruises. Some blood."

"How many of them?" Hotch had been thinking two – this implied a lot more.

"Six there are six of them."

"You shouldn't have looked at them Haley. Was there a note?"

"Some writing on the bottom of some of the Polaroid's but I didn't really take notice of the writing, I was looking at the body." He voice was shaking. "Aaron this is revolting."

"I'm sorry Haley can you look and tell me what is written on them? I will send someone around to pick them up."

Aaron heard her intake of breath.

"Haley – what is it?"

"I am trying to read what the writing says. It is smudged." How to tell Aaron this? "Medieval torture techniques, The successful application of torture in the middle ages, How to cause pain with minimum effort. Aaron – I know who this is."

Hotch's stomach turned in panic "Who?"

"It's Reid."

……………..

"Get up. We need to carry on."

Reid squinted up at the man standing next to him. He licked his lips and closed his eyes again.

"I said get up!" and he was being pulled by his arms. He yelled out in pain and felt his shoulders screaming along with him. "Get up and I won't have to hurt you." Carefully very carefully he got to his feet and swaying in pain looked around him.

"You won't win Flanders. I won't give in to you." His voice sounded small and insignificant to him.

"Well good – it will just make for better photography and film making. Come over here." Reid was man handled to a stand under a hook in the high gothic ceiling. "Sit." He gestured to the floor.

Reid slowly sat down – tears of pain leaking from his eyes. He watched as Flanders wrapped rope around his feet. Spencer looked up and saw the rope was running through the huge ceiling hook. He had a horrible idea of what was going to happen next.

Flanders set up the camera and turned it on. He stood and smiled at Spencer as he started to pull on the rope looped over the hook. He giggled when Spencer screamed in pain as he put his hands out to stop his head hitting the floor and his shoulders pulled and tried to come out of the sockets again. He was hauled up until his fingertips were just out of reach of the floor.

Reid thought he must have passed out in pain because when he awoke Floyd was there attaching something to his neck. He crouched so he was level with Reid's upside down face. "You awake? Now listen to me carefully, because this could kill you, or you could save yourself. I am going to let go of this weight which is attached to that collar. You can try to take the strain off you neck by holding it if you want, but to be very honest Spence I don't think your arms and hands will be able to do that for too long. You can call for help and I will release you or you can let go of the weight and slowly suffocate and bleed out as the collar digs in and – well snuffs out your light. The choice is yours – obviously offer your body to me with no complaints and I will release you and this will all be over."

A strange deep whimper was the reply. Flanders moved forwards and kissed Reid gently on the lips. "Whatever you do, make it soon."

He dropped the chain attached to the collar and Reid saw the iron bar swinging from the end.

The agony was intense and immediate. He felt the metal collar cutting into his skin and he could feel the quick rush of blood pouring down the sides of his face. His hands moved slowly and painfully to the collar and then to the chain. Bruised swollen fingers wrapped around the chain and held tight.

_Take the strain of the collar – That is all you need to do and it will be alright. He can't win. You are stronger than him. Remember Gideon's words_. He watched blood drip onto the floor and splash onto his hands_. No no not the hands not on my hands. You will lose your grip. Stay with it. Keep the weight off your neck._ But it was too late, his hands were slipping the collar was tightening, and he could feel the chain running between his fingers. _This is either going to decapitate you or choke you. That is if you don't bleed out first. _He stared at the floor, mesmerised by the splatting patterns his blood was leaving on the floor. It was splashing back and hitting his fingers and hands in tiny droplets. He was going to die. Die here hanging upside down in some mad mans torture chamber, and he wasn't even missed. _This can't happen. I can't die like this. I won't let his happen._

"Floyd." His voice sounded like it was coming from a long way off. "Please." Not much more than a whisper.

He could see a set of boots standing in the blood. "Beg. I want to hear you begging."

"Please – l l l let me down Floyd – I don't w w want to die here. Let – let me down."

"But I have only just started on you Spence. I really don't think I have won you over already." Then boots moved away and Spencer moved a hand out and touched Floyd.

"I am begging you Floyd. Not like this. Let me down. I will do what you want." _Just tell him what he wants to hear – get out of this then think what to do._

…………

Hotch called the team together. "We are handing this case over to someone else. I don't like working without our full team. I am pulling out."

Morgan sat and frowned. "What's happened?"

Aaron looked over at Prentiss and JJ. "Garcia has contacted me. We need to go back. Someone – Flanders maybe, fingerprints came back inconclusive – sent Garcia and Haley some photographs. I have copies of them here for you. Well of the ones Garcia received. I think the ones Haley got are either the same or very similar." He placed some blown up copies of the pictures Garcia had been given on the small table they were sitting around. "I no longer think any of us are in the position to carry on here. Get your things ready, we are leaving." He stood up and left before he had to look at the faces of his team. What was left of his team.

Morgan reached over and turned over a picture.

………….

"Well Spence I know you don't mean that." He looked down at the fingers twisted around the fabric of his trousers. Slowly he bent down and removed them.

"I think you need a bit longer to think about this." I am going for a smoke. We will talk about this again when I get back. Don't forget to smile for the camera.

He closed his eyes and tried to think what Gideon would have done. That was insane this would never have happened to Gideon. Jason was strong. Jason wasn't weak like this. He wouldn't have compromised everything out of spite. He wouldn't have got this confused. No, Jason would never have to cope with this because this would never happen to him. He could see the camera looking at him out of the corner of his eye. There was no live feed this time like there was with Hankel. He didn't know what he was filming this all for.

Things were turning a funny shade of grey. It looked like the colour was slowly being drained. The printer has run out of ink. Someone talking to him.

"I do love you – you know that don't you?" And he could feel the collar being taken off his neck and a something kissing him on the nape of his neck. "If I didn't you would have died a long time ago back in the woods with the wind. I planned it. I wasn't going to use you. You are too strong. Your brain wont hold my suggestions. You are a strange one Spence."

He felt his head touch the floor and slide along the puddle of blood. "I looked down and saw not the face of some random victim I had chosen, but the face of something really quite astonishing. So I will save you. But you have to save me first."

Spencer could feel he was being dragged by his feet and thrown onto the dirty soiled blankets in the corner of the room. His hands were pulled behind his back and cuffed. The rope stayed wrapped around his ankles.

"Sorry. I need some good photos. I will untie you after."

This time they were photos taken more at a distance. This time they would see all the damage being done to their youngest. This was a special message for Aaron. He wrote carefully on the bottom of one half of the pictures 'I have your boy' There were only eight this time. Four of them he put in an envelope, the other four he took and attached them to the wall alongside the other six.

He returned to Spencer and untied him. "Here, have something to drink."

Spencer didn't care now what it was, if it took away some of this pain and self hatred it would be good. He drank until the room became dark and smoky, and he felt Flanders lay down behind him.

"Spencer - time for another payment I think."

…………………..

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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	26. Chapter 26 Fork

Fork

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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This chapter is for Christina and Space. Thank you both for everything!

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

"Spence."

Somewhere there was a voice. It sounded like it was a million miles away though. Probably through the fog. He opened his eyes a crack to see if his nightmare was over yet.

"Spence."

That voice again. He tried to think whose voice that was. He felt pain all over. His shoulders and back and neck. His hands and wrists. His ankles and his feet. He looked at his hands and saw they were bloody and swollen, but he couldn't remember where all the blood had come from. His head was thumping and his heart racing.

"Spence!"

A bit more insistent now, but the pounding in his head and the pain all over – had he been run over?

"Floyd?"

He could feel, again through the fog of pain hand touching his skin. Rubbing his skin.

"I'm trying to get some life back into your limbs Spence. Try to relax."

"What – what happened? Was I in an accident? Where's Hotch." Alone with Floyd?

"No accident – I did this to you"

Slowly slowly the fog was clearing. "Floyd." He tried to roll over on the blankets to look at the person behind him, but even a small movement sent pain shooting through him. He could still feel hands over his back. "Floyd, what are you doing?"

For a couple of seconds the hands stopped their comforting movement. "That is such a difficult question to answer Spence. Do you mean right now, or are you talking about my final plans?"

"I mean who are you? What are you doing? Why me?"

Very gently the hands were massaging this shoulders now. "You know who I am but still the what am I doing question. I am not sure how to answer it. I didn't really choose you though. It was just one of those things. Very glad I did. You have given me purpose for my final few months. I have felt more alive since I met you than I have for as long as I remember."

"What are you plans with me Floyd? On Friday? What is going to happen?"

He could feel fingers running through his hair. "All kinds of crazy shit is going to happen. I might be going home, I might not. I don't know yet, but Friday is the end either way."

Now he was being rolled over onto his back. "Don't Floyd, please don't." Big frightened eyes. Had he finally managed to break the boy? Was that all it took in the end, just a little bit of pain?

"I'm not going to hurt you. Let me see your hands." He took Reid's hands in his and gently rubbed oils into them. "This will help you feel better."

"Letting me go will make me feel better too." He tried to pull his hands out of Floyd's "Please Floyd – let me go and disappear. No one will find you."

"I would love to. I really would love to, but I need you Spence. I need you so I can be free. You are my final payment. So you need to be just right."

"Payment for what?" His voice was soft and low.

"Everything I did before. All my transgressions. I can't move on until I have paid in full. It's taken me a long time Spence, but finally in three days I will be able to be free."

"What will happen to me Floyd?"

Floyd stopped and looked down at Reid. He was trying not to think to closely about what would happen to Reid. It wasn't something he wanted to think about. "I'm not sure Spence but I will try to save you."

Reid closed his eyes. Just three days for the team to find him. Then it will be too late. If these were his final days he didn't want to spend it hanging upside down or whatever it was Flanders had planned. He would comply for him. What's three days after all?

……………

They sat around the table. They had copies of the new pictures in their hands. At least this meant he was still alive. Small mercy for Spencer it would seem. They inspected the wounds in all the pictures and wondered what could have done this to him. They knew who, they needed the how and whys now. Even Garcia was looking at the pictures. Something she would normally hate to do, but this was Spence and there was something about those wounds that rang a bell for her.

"Sir" she finally said "I think I know what caused these wounds."

They all turned and looked at her as she looked down at the pictures and ran her fingers over the bruises. "What do you see Pen?" Morgan asked.

"I see the use of the pendulum and some devise I can't remember the name of." She shuddered. "Medieval torture devices. One of them dislocates the shoulders." Her fingers moving over the black marks on Reid's shoulders. "And this one, you get hung upside down by your feet and they hang things around a collar. It chokes you and if the collar is – well – sharp, it cuts into the skin." She ran her fingernails over the blood which appeared to be running up Reid's face from the neck.

"Flanders is using medieval torture crap on him? Why the hell?"

"It's a message Derek." Hotch was looking at the pictures again. "I just don't know what the message is yet."

"How on earth are we going to find them? Does anyone know where Flanders lives?" Prentiss was now looking at the pictures.

"I have been to his apartment." Hotch sighed. "These pictures are not from there. Prentiss go and check out Reid's place. Anything unusual."

Prentiss just shrugged "I am sorry sir, but Reid's entire place is going to be unusual. JJ come with me please?" Hotch nodded and the two girls got up and left.

"Morgan we can go and have a look around Flanders place. We might find something to give us a clue." He picked up a picture and looked at it again "This is not the same room, but it might be the same building. So let us take care here."

………….

"Spence that first day."

"Which first day?"

A hair ruffling. "That night in the bar."

"When you hit on me, that night, that bar?"

"That's the one. Aaron was setting us up." Grinning.

"I know. I wasn't interested then. I'm not now either." Sitting up rubbing at his wrists. "This is going to scar."

"You were interested in the elevator – what was that all about?"

"That was spite. That was confusion. Nothing else." Looking at the blood stains on fingernails.

"You should get spiteful and confused more often. It suits you." Cleaning glasses on his shirt.

"That's really not very funny. Garcia would have seen it all. Hotch would have seen it." Tucking his hair behind his ears and wincing in pain.

"This is all about Hotch?" Putting his glasses on.

Reid watched Flanders carefully. Still trying to get a proper profile and still trying to talk his way safely out of this situation. "Not all Hotch. JJ too."

Flanders looked puzzled. "JJ? Where does she come into all of this?"

"She keeps hitting on me. I keep turning her down. You know – you have seen it. I don't hate her Floyd. I just don't want to date her. She's not my type. Too pretty, too blonde, too I don't know."

"Too much the wrong gender?"

"As I said. I am confused."

"I see. So Spence, what does rock your boat?"

"Not this." Indicating the cuts and bruises. "You can't force someone to like you Flanders. You can't beat them into submission like this."

Flanders shook his head. "Yes I can, and I have been doing so for so many years it will make your head spin. You are different though."

"A freak. I know, socially inept."

A frown. "No not really inept, you are doing fine here. We are chatting, you haven't told me one fact or statistic. I don't know what the problem is with you socially, but you seem comfortable talking to me."

Flanders stood up and walked over to a shelf on the rough peeling walls. "I was planning on using this on you next." He threw an object over towards Spencer. It landed on the blankets next to him. He carefully picked it up and turned it over in his hands "The heretic's fork. You are going to use this on me?"

"I made that one myself."

"It looks ancient." Reid frowned.

"It is. I have used it a lot in the past, not so much use for it recently, but because you are so stubborn I was tempted to use it again. I even cleaned it up for you."

"I see." Still looking at the torture devise in his hands "And now?"

"Tomorrow – if you are not doing as I ask by tomorrow I will use it."

"Floyd I really don't know what it is you want me to do. You need to tell me."

"I just need to feel needed Spence. I need to be loved."

…………….

Hotch and Morgan entered the dirty rat infested room.

"Flanders lives here?" Morgan couldn't believe what he was seeing.

There was no sign of him now and no sign of Spencer. They looked into the small washroom and noted the nylon cuffs cut on the floor. They could see where someone had been sitting. They saw a bucket of dirty cold water, and they picked up and bagged Spencer's discarded dirty clothing.

"Well we can safely say they have been here, but are now gone." Morgan pulled back the grubby covers off the bare mattress.

"They are somewhere in this building Derek, I just know it. That man is here. Somewhere close."

……………

"They are close." Flanders stood up and walked slowly to the door.

"Who is?"

"I can smell him."

Reid started to stand. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't move Spence. Stay where you are." Flanders started to walk back to where Spencer was sitting looking worried.

"Who is out there?" Spencer's eyes were riveted to the door.

"Hotch, and I think Morgan."

Flanders didn't know Reid could move so fast, he was up and running for the door. He was trying to call for help but all that would come out was a small pathetic whimper. He felt himself suddenly stop, and he felt one hand on the back of his neck and one holding tightly onto his hair. "One move, one sound and you are crippled for life. Now walk backwards away from the door and sit your arse back down again. Maybe you need to have that toy strapped to your chin after all?"

A small shake of the head. "I'm - I'm sorry. Please don't."

…………

**A/N: sorry for any errors with the typing.

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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	27. Chapter 27 Silence

Silence

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

Hotch ordered the building cordoned off. If the two of them were here he was going to find them and he needed to find them fast. Reid was – no Reid is a good profiler and will be using all his skills to stay alive. Though the images of what he did in the elevator still confused him. Why did he do that knowing Garcia would be watching, and why did Floyd push him away?

…………

Floyd stood and looked at Reid who standing facing him looking at the floor. He needed to get the attention of Hotch. He had to do something so they knew he was here. He couldn't just stand here shaking and not do anything. This Floyd had killed over and over again. He knew he had to be stopped, and he knew it might be the last thing he did, but considering Friday would be here pretty soon, and Flanders had plans for him before then there didn't seem to be an awful lot of lose. He glanced up at the window covered in wood boarding. There was no way to signal for help through the window. The only option was to scream, which he didn't think he could, but will try, and the door, which had Flanders standing next to it ready for neck breaking.

"We – we can't stay here Floyd." Talk your way out Spencer. You have managed to stop him hurting you again so far. Just keep him talking. Distract him. "They will know we are here. That's why there are here now. Floyd we must move."

"No. You are tricking me; I can hear it in your soul. Sit down and shut up."

Reid knelt slowly on the floor, the pain in his back and shoulders making him think he was going to pass out. "Floyd, they think we are together, I don't want to get caught by them here with you."

"Don't lie to me Spence. I can see through you. I know what you want." Looking down at Spence on his knees. Teasing always teasing.

"If you know what I want then you know you can let me go and I will walk out of here and not say a thing." His voice rising in pitch and sound level.

"Shut up."

"Floyd." And a boot made contact with his jaw.

"I told you to shut up Spence. Now look what you made me do."

Reid lay on his back with his head spinning and felt he hand reaching into his hair and start to drag him towards the small room. He opened his mouth to shout, to yell out, to scream, but nothing happened.

"You lie to me Spence. Time after time, you tell me untruths. How can I trust you now?

"I'm sorry – I'm sorry!" He was laying on the floor next to the overflowing disgusting toilet.

"Die here for all I care now. I really thought we were getting on together. I really thought you liked me. Stop saying you are sorry. You're not. You never were and you never will be. Just out for yourself the whole way along. Just using me to get at Aaron." He spat on the floor next to Reid who was trying to scrabble away. "Don't move. Don't move or I will impale you right there. Understand me?"

A nod. Unmoving. Staring.

"You need to stay quiet Spence. You need to stop trying to get Aaron's attention. He doesn't want you. He went back to Haley. He finds you repulsive. He keeps sending you away from him. He would rather I was with you than he."

Still laying in the filth of the small bathroom staring at Flanders. He was going to kill him. This was the end.

"Spencer, you know of different techniques used to get information out of people. You have read all the books and looked at all the pictures."

A nod.

"You know of the wedges I will therefore drive behind your toenails if I return and you have moved."

"Yes."

"Good! Then I will go and get what I need and when I return you will be exactly where you are now. Understand me?" A broad grin.

"Yes."

…………….

Hotch stood outside the big old gothic building in the light rain and looked up. "I know he is in there Morgan. We need to drive him out somehow. I think going in will be a mistake. He has Reid. I don't want him to feel cornered. I don't want him taking his frustration out on him anymore than he already has."

"Hotch – We should be sending in SWAT; tear the place apart. I can't just stand here knowing they are in there. Not after those pictures. Hotch we thought he was dead. How many times are we going to have to think that?"

"Derek, it was set. It was a scene to try to break us a bit. It didn't work."

"Hell no it didn't work, so what will he do next?"

They stood and looked up at the windows of the old apartment block.

…………….

When Flanders came back bent down and grabbed Reid by an ankle and dragged him closer. He gave him some nylon cuffs. "Put them on. One set hands and the other set feet." Silently Reid did as he was told. Flanders then asked him to sit with his back to the wall again. "I am going to try something different. Something fun." He added another nylon cuff between the feet and hands.

"This isn't fun Floyd."

"I know, I know. 'Tis the next bit I am getting excited over."

"Can't wait." He sat looking up at Floyd with big eyes.

"Chin up sweet thing." Reid's head was pulled up and back. "I really wouldn't struggle. This thing is very sharp."

With the Heretic's Fork in place there was no way Reid was going to be shouting anything. The prongs rammed up into the soft flesh under his chin and down into the flesh on his sternum. The collar around his neck made sure it wouldn't fall loose. Flanders gave him the pleasure of laying on his side on the floor. He could hear the weather suddenly change. A storm – a huge storm suddenly came out of nowhere.

"Shit!" Flanders left Reid bleeding on the dirty bathroom floor and went through to the other room. "Not now. You're too early. Not now. Crap."

Floyd stood in the middle of the room looking around him. Waiting for something. Waiting for them.

………………..

The storm hit so suddenly that at first Hotch and Morgan didn't know what was happening. It went from light drizzle to a huge storm with no warning. The dark clouds suddenly filled the sky. The thunder was deafening. The lightening striking the top of the building they had recently left over and over again.

"My god." Morgan ran for cover expecting the rain to drench them in seconds and Hotch was close behind. "Where the hell did that come from? If that place catches fire Hotch….."

"If it does, then they will leave." But his words didn't reflect the fear he was feeling inside.

……………………..

"Not now!" Flanders was shouting. "I am not ready! I have three more days, you can't do this!"

Reid lay in agony trying to keep still so the small blades didn't cut too deeply listening to Floyd – wondering what or who he was talking to.

Everything suddenly went black. Not dark – it was already dark – this was a blackness that even light wouldn't penetrate. A blackness you could smell and taste. A blackness you could feel creeping over you. Sounds changed. Flanders' shouting became muffled and distant and suddenly more than Flanders' voice. More voices.

Spencer lay alone in this deep darkness and listened to the voices speaking in a language he didn't know. He tried to pick out words that might be familiar but there was nothing. It was a dark guttural growling language which almost crawled along the floors. The words felt alive. He could hear raised voices in anger and at first thought it was Floyd, but his was the quieter one. The one begging, the one pleading? He could hear strange laughter and screams of rage and pain.

Then the words which made Reid whimper. "You can't have him! He is mine – he isn't ready yet!"

And a voice low and menacing. "Shut up Flanders. We take what we want and lowly filth like you won't stop us. You will find us someone else for Friday. We are taking this one now."

Spencer felt hands on him. He felt the prongs being released and the strip holding his hands to his feet being removed, then his feet released. His hands though were kept as they were. Then total nothingness. No sound – no light – no air – nothing. Floating? Vacuum.

And right at the back of his mind he could hear Floyd screaming.

………………….

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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	28. Chapter 28 Angels

Angels

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

He woke up in a world of nothing. All he could hear was his own breathing. There again was no light and no sounds. He was falling, slowly, more like a downwards drifting. He put out his hands to feel around him and touched other things. Other things turning and spinning and falling gently like leaves in the fall. Something reached out and held his hand. Something cold. Something with claws and hard skin. Some kind of creature he didn't want to see. He closed his eyes against the darkness and felt himself suddenly being pulled sideways through the other things and people and objects. Through what seemed to be soft walls of velvet and with a gentle popping sucking noise the sound and light returned.

………………….

Flanders ran. He exited through the door of the apartment he was in and ran. He slammed through the fire at the end of the corridor and hammered down the stairs. Think Floyd think – what now – how can you have someone willing in a few days who they will accept as a trade. They took your final payment. They stole him from you. Now think.

_Fifth floor Aaron. Fifth floor Aaron. Now – run. Fifth floor – room 542 – now. There will be a fire. He might be there. Go save him Aaron. Split up – split up – split up._

_The basement Derek. Split up - Go to the basement Derek. Split up. Save Reid. This is the only way. He might be in the basement. Split up - Its ok – you can do this._

…………………

He crouched in the basement in the shadows waiting for Morgan. He will come. He will be here. He will come alone. _Come on Morgan, get down here, we don't have time to waste. Get down here. _

………………..

Hotchner ran up the stairs. He had to find Reid and get him away from Flanders. He knew – he knew he was here. He was in this building. The fifth floor was pulling him. Gun out he pounded up the sweeping stone stairs. He noted in the back of his mind how the filth of this place seemed to get worse the further up he went. Used needles, foil, condoms, smears of unthinkable things, and rats. He paused. Rats. Dead rats, and some of them had been partially eaten. He stood momentarily and looked. Who the hell ate raw rat? He shook his head and carried on running. This was wrong. They should wait, they shouldn't have split up but he shook his and carried onwards. The doubt he had felt trickling away again.

. ……………..

Derek for some unfounded reason was equally sure that Reid would be in the basement. Yes they should wait for SWAT but some scary shit had happen here and he wasn't about to leave Reid here to deal with it alone. If there was something going down he was going to there. He was going to kill Flanders for inflicting those wounds on Spencer. May the gods help him. He pushed open the basement door and looked around. Total darkness. He pulled his gun with flashlight out and shone it around.

"Reid? Reid man are you here?" He voice echoed back at him, and sounded pathetic and empty. He walked slowly forwards flicking the light against the walls and between the pillars. The place seemed empty. An ancient unused boiler stood at the back of the room and a few rotting packing crates were muddled along the right hand wall. "Reid? It's me. It's Morgan." He was still very sure that somewhere here he would find Reid. He walked slowly forwards, one step carefully after the other, occasionally checking the floor for debris. It was at one of the looking down at his feet points that something hit him from behind.

Morgan staggered forward – the light from his weapon flashing wildly around the room as he began to turn to see who had attacked him. Something hit him again, this time knocking him to his knees. He could hear heavy breathing and smell smoothing vile and creeping and wrong. He rolled to try to avoid any more hits coming his way and felt something kick him in the side of the head. Morgan's gun still held tightly in his hand began to spin to face whoever it was. He briefly saw the boots in the light of his gun. Flanders.

Floyd could see the gun in his hand, but that wasn't really going to be a problem. He could see Morgan trying to turn and aim in his direction but the heel of his boot in Derek's chin sent him flying and landing on his back. The gun released and arced through the air finally landing about twenty feet away and shining its light over into a corner

"Get up so I can kill you properly." Flanders spat at Morgan. "I was expecting a fight here. I haven't broken sweat yet. Come on – up."

Morgan lay and looked at the twisted face of hate on his face. "What have you done to Reid?" He glanced over to where his gun was. Talk to him Derek – talk to him.

"Leave him out of this. This is you and I Derek Morgan. This is all the answers you wanted but never got. Come on ask me. What is going through your head Derek?"

Morgan slowly started to stand. "I need to know what you have done with Reid."

"No – no no! That is not the questions you were asking before." Try to stay calm – don't let him get to you. You wanted him down here, now what are you going to do with him?

Morgan could almost hear the inner turmoil going on in Flanders head. "It's the question I am asking now though." Walk slowly to the gun. Slowly and keep him talking. He looks confused.

"They took him. I couldn't stop them. They took him!" Flanders was shouting now. Running his fingers through his hair.

"Who took him?" Derek looked confused now but still walked slowly towards the gun.

"One more step and I will kill you, and I don't want to do that. I so really don't want to. They took him. I couldn't stop them. He was mine." Walking quickly towards Derek now.

Choices – choices. Leap for the gun or crack him on the jaw. Which will be more fulfilling. Morgan timed it well. He waited for Flanders to get in range and landed Floyd one in the mouth. It hurt his hand but Flanders didn't flinch. He did however reply with one right back and spat blood from his now split lip into Morgan's face.

They were on each other now, Derek trying to get to his gun and Flanders trying to grab him and pull him away. Derek had his hands in Flanders hair as they rolled on the ground, trying to smack his head onto the hard floor. Flanders was biting and screaming at him with some insane demonic noise that Derek didn't think could come from a human. Floyd was angry. His nails dug into Morgan's flesh as he rolled onto his back and Derek sat astride him.

Floyd felt his head make contact with the floor. It almost felt like the back of his skull dented in and they bounced back again. He could feel his head being pulled back for another smack on the floor as his fingers went up and wrapped around Derek's thoat.

Smack. And his vision blurred for a second there. This was not good.

Smack. And again the vision blurred but this time didn't return to normal. He dug fingernails in harder and squeezed tighter.

Smack. And the sound went and he was having a problem holding on.

Smack. And he knew he was screaming. He knew he was calling for backup and he knew it wouldn't arrive. Not now. Not yet. Floyd felt his hands fall from Derek.

Smack. And he tried to look in the face of this man.

…………..

Derek looked down at Flanders. He had finally let go of his neck and Morgan took some deep breaths, feeling the pain where his neck had been squeezed. He could hear the slight splatting sound as the skull met with concrete and he saw the look on Floyd's face change from a demonic rage to surprise. He could see him try to focus on him. A final punch in the mouth and he watched the eyes roll back and Flanders finally stopped fighting.

Morgan stayed sitting astride him. He could see the steady rise and fall of Flanders' chest. "That should have killed you. I wanted to kill you. I wanted you dead. Why the hell are you not dead?"

………………

Reid felt good. There was no pain. He was laying down on something comfortable and warm. He looked up at the ceiling and could see wild frescos painted. Like some picture you would find on the ceilings in the Vatican. He lifted up his hands to look at them. The bruising was gone. The swelling had gone. He looked clean. A hand slowly lifted to his nose. He smelt strongly of some kind of heady musky oils or something. He moved his hands slowly over his body. He had on shirt on, but was still thankfully in his trousers. He tried to sit up and that was when the pain suddenly hit. A pain in his head like he had never felt. It felt like someone was smashing the back of his skull in. Reid yelled out in pain and put his hands to the back of his head. It was sticky and wet and a voice talking to him from somewhere.

"It's alright Spencer – wont kill you. You will just wish it did."

………………

Hotch stood at the door, gun in hand. 542. It was closed and he could hear no sound from beyond. Carefully he put the fingertips of his left hand against the door and pushed slightly. It opened silently. The room beyond was dark. Aaron pointed the gun forward to let the light flash around the room.

"Reid?" He called softly, and now he wasn't really expecting a reply. He suddenly felt confused. Hotch spun around almost expecting someone to be standing behind him, but it was just empty passage. He turned his attention back to the room and slowly walked forwards. In the light of his torch he could see a pile of what looked to be old blankets over in a corner. There were ropes and chains hanging from hooks and rings attached to the ceiling and at one side a strange contraption like Jack's swing without the happy swinging bit – just rope hanging down. There was a small door ajar in the corner of the room. Slowly avoiding the things hanging down he walked over and shone in a light. Very much like the last bathroom –stinking and dirty with rope and cut ties on the floor. Reid had been here. He was sure. He backed away and carried on looking around. There seemed to be something on the wall. Careful as the where he stood he walked over to see what it was. Pictures – some the same ones they had been sent in the post and some different. All of Reid and all of injuries. Some just of his face. The look of fear, the look of him begging – and a DVD case with writing on it taped next to the pictures.

_To Aaron Hotchner. Memories. _In strange cursive writing. He peeled it from the tape holding it there and turned it over in his hand. "Memories." He said quietly to himself. He didn't like the sound of that. When his phone suddenly bleeped he nearly dropped it. He opened his phone, to see Morgan's name there. He put the phone up to his ear.

"I got Flanders."

………………..

Reid lay with tears of pain running down his cheeks. He couldn't move and his hands lay limp and tingly at his sides. His heart was beating too fast so he lay and looked at the pictures on the ceiling. Paintings of angels.

"Don't worry little one." The voice from somewhere was saying. "This will soon be over."

…………….

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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	29. Chapter 29 Guilt

Guilt

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

Hotch took another quick look around the room. CSU will have a field day in here. It hurt to leave the pictures of the abused hurt Reid on the walls, but with the DVD safely in his pocket he turned and left the room. Morgan had Flanders, so where the hell was Reid. Somewhere locked in the dark in one of these rooms? The thought of the fear Reid must be feeling alone tied up in the dark made Aaron run faster. He leapt down the stairs to the basement and stood looking at Morgan standing above a prone Floyd. A puddle of deep red slowly spreading out from behind his head.

"Morgan."

"He's not dead. I don't know how, but he's not. Hotch I swear I tried to kill the son of a bitch. Where's Reid?" As Morgan said the words he was reminded of another time they had lost their agent.

Hotch shook his head. "I don't know. They were up in that room, but Reid's not there now. We need him alive Derek." Hotch leant over him to feel his pulse and as he did Flanders' eyes opened and locked onto Aaron's.

"You need me Aaron." A whispered voice from somewhere deep inside where a soul should be and a hand reached over and grabbed Hotch's. "They have him."

Hotch jumped back out of his reach and slapped his hand away. "Who has him? What are you talking about?"

"How the hell is he still talking!?" Derek added.

They watched as slowly Flanders lifted his head from the floor. It made a sickly slurping noise and for a second or two his eyes rolled back and he shuddered. Then he continued to sit. He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them tightly. "I suppose I deserved that." His voice shaky and low. "But you are going to be begging me for your help. If you want him back." He leaned forwards and rested his forehead on his knees.

Hotch stood and looked down at him. There was blood running down his back from the back of his head. "What is on the disc?"

He looked sidelong at Hotch from the place he was resting his head. "You might want to get Garcia to look at that." He lifted his head and shook it quickly a few times. Blood sprayed off and splattered Hotch and Morgan. "Actually, no, don't show it to Pen. I think it might upset her. Watch it yourself first Aaron. Either way I am not sorry. I am just pissed he was taken."

"That didn't answer my question."

Morgan had begun to walk in slow circles around Floyd.

"I apologise for that Aaron. It's hard to think straight right now – can't for the life of me think why. Morgan for the love of the gods stop that."

"You still haven't answered my question. What is on the disc?"

"It's kind of a video diary I suppose. Morgan stop that or I will bleed on you."

……………….

Reid slowly turned over and got to his knees. The room was huge – the walls being so far away he couldn't see them. It was like he was in a vast black void. The ceiling angels looked down at him. directly overhead they were clumped together but gradually the paintings became less detailed and in places appeared unfinished. He stood up and looked down at the floor. It was black mirrored something. Stone or glass or something man made, he wasn't sure. He could feel something dripping down the back of his neck but the pain had gone as quickly as it had started. Floyd had to be here somewhere.

"Floyd!"

Nothing – no answer – no echo – just the word sounding dead and empty hanging in the air in front of him. He almost felt if he put his hand out he would feel the word sitting there in the darkness mocking him. He started walking. He locked his eyes on a distant bit of extra darkness, something which seemed even darker than this he was already in and moved cautiously towards it. God how he hated the dark! He turned around and looked back at where he had walked from. The place he had awoken and saw it glinting in the darkness. Maybe he should go back? Go back whilst he could still see it? He turned back to find that spot he had been walked towards but couldn't find it now. He sighed deeply and turned back to walk to where he had started from and that had gone too. Just darkness – no comforting light in the distance, no frescos looking down at him. Nothing. He crouched down on the floor and wrapped his arms around his knees and rested his forehead on his knees. He could feel he was shaking – he could feel the fear welling up inside.

………………

They decided to haul Flanders back to BAU and see what was on the disc. They really didn't want him disappearing into the local precinct and not be able to question him properly. Floyd didn't seem to have a problem with this.

They rode the elevator up. Morgan standing guard at the doors so if they pinged open he could advise they waiting for the next car. The back of Flanders' head was encrusted with blood and the blood on his shirt had started to dry to a dark brown.

The three of them moved quickly to Hotch's office. They entered and locked the door behind them. Morgan cuffed Flanders to a chair and Hotch sat at his desk looking at the DVD he had taken from the wall in the old apartment block.

"I guess we don't get popcorn?" Flanders comment was answered with a clip around his ear.

"You be quiet Flanders."

Hotch put the disc into this laptop.

…………….

The screen flickered for a few seconds and then a voice over the static.

"_I want you to know how I did it. I want you to see how broken he is. I want you to see him beg."_

The words were accompanied by a couple of very grainy shots of Reid restrained and laying on the floor.

"_He called you, Hotch, he called you to help him, but you ignored him. He was crying out for help from you all, and you all ignored it. You Hotchner so tied up with Haley so shallow in your love for your boy that you were able to just walk away from him and leave him."_

Morgan looked from Flanders to Hotch then back again.

"_I drugged him and twisted him, and you just accused him of being an alcoholic. Do you know how much you were hurting him? All of you. The only one who seemed willing to constantly have her arms open to help was JJ, and she was the only one he wouldn't turn to."_

Flanders was rocking back and forth in the chair with his eyes closed, smiling.

"_Derek Morgan, you knew full well what was going on in the men's room, but you never reported it. Why is that? Why did you allow me to keep taking him and breaking him down bit by bit? Where are your loyalties Derek Morgan?_

_And Hotchner, you even tried to set the two of us up together, you knew what I was like. You have very personal experience of me. You knew, so why did you do that? Can you even remember? Was it so you could escape Spence and run back to Haley – to play happy families?"_

Some clips now came up of Reid in various uncomfortable situations. Morgan and Hotch sat and watched Reid's silent screams as his shoulders were dislocated. They sat and listened to him calling out for help. Hotch felt tears of anger and hurt prickling behind his eyes. Morgan just felt the over whelming need to kill Flanders – again.

_He did keep coming to you for help, but in the end he turned to me, because you just couldn't see what was happening could you. You couldn't see the pain in his eyes, and you didn't care that once again he had been discarded. His father, his mother, his guardian, and his lover, all just tossed him aside when something else came along more important. You couldn't see beyond Haley._

_You didn't hear him calling your name in his sleep, you didn't hear how many times it was Aaron he called for when I was inflicting those torments. You just didn't see it did you and now its going to be too late. Now there is nothing you can do._

A few stills now on the screen of Reid's injuries.

"That last bit obviously has now changed. There is something you can do. But you will need my help." Flanders was trying not to laugh.

The disc now just showed different moving and stills of Reid being tortured and crying out in pain.

"You are a total bastard." Morgan was looking down at the man who should really be dead, or at least in hospital. He shouldn't be here still tormenting them.

"Actually yes I am. But my parentage is not what we are talking about here. We need to get Spence back, and I am still not totally sure how to go about doing that."

…………

They sat and with their eyes they watched the new boy quaking in fear.

"Shall we give him some light?" A voice made of a million whispers.

"Shall we give him some hope?" A voice full of thick sticky darkness.

"Shall we deliver unto him that which he should have had as child?" A voice with the consistency of glass and laughter.

…………….

"Spencer?" a voice he recognised. "Spencer dear what are you doing?"

Reid looked up and saw his mother. Her hair long and brushed and beautiful and smile on her face.

"Mum?" He stood up and looked at her. Something was different. Something was wrong, but in a good way wrong.

"What are you doing playing in the dirt at your age?" And the laughter he thought he had forgotten.

"Mum?" He walked slowly towards her and put out his hands. She reached out and grasped his fingers in her own and pulled him close.

"What's wrong Spencer? Give your mum a hug- it's been a long time."

Reid knew this couldn't be real. His mum was sick. His mum didn't look like this anymore. His mum wasn't this person, but the smell was right, and the touch was right and the need to have his mum hold him and make everything better was over powering. He pulled her close and hugged her tight

And she was gone.

…………………

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**!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!**

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	30. Chapter 30 Explain

Explain

**A/N: Sorry – this whole fic is going to hell. **

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

Derek stood and looked between the two men. "Care to let me in on some of this?"

"I believe Flanders is using Reid to get back at me." Hotch sat unmoving looking at the final image on the screen. "It won't work."

"Evidently." Flanders swivelled in his chair so he could see both men. "Originally it was Spence I had my eye on, but he drew me to you. I never fully understood why you did what you did."

"I am a married man. I have a child." Hotch still staring at the image in front of him. "I couldn't break my loyalty to Haley. You know that. I told you. I explained all of that to you when you joined us. I came to your room and explained it. I thought you understood."

"Aaron, I understand why you did that to me. I don't understand why you then went and did the same thing to Spence."

"Spencer." Hotch breathed the word out like sigh. "What was the performance in the elevator all about?"

"You saw that. Garcia was watching. He threw himself at me. Like a common whore he wanted that, knowing he was being watched. I needed you to see it was him and not me."

Hotch looked around the office. "And in here?"

"Ah well he started to get a bit resistant to my charms – so yes I had to hurt him. You see this is what I adore so much about Spencer. He keeps me on my toes. I cannot relax around him. Mind as sharp as the devils tongue. Speaking of which we need to work out how to get him back."

"We need to? You haven't let us in on the big secret yet. Where is Reid, Flanders?"

"They took him! You don't listen to me do you!? They took him. I need to contact them. I need to talk to them. I need to explain and try to strike a deal with them before it's too late."

"Them?" Derek was nose to nose with Flanders now "Who the hell is this Them you keep on about?"

Floyd placed his fingers on Derek's chest, the cuffs he had been wearing clattered to the floor. "Get out of my face." And he gave a small push. "You won't understand if I try to explain, it is far to complex for your brains. Either of you."

Aaron stood up and walked over to stand next to Morgan. "I think you need to start explaining. We will tell you if it becomes too complex."

"Get your side of beef out of my face and I will try to tell you in words you might understand."

Derek stood back a bit and looked down at the cuffs on the floor but for now said nothing.

"I belong to a world wide organisation." Flanders started. "They are very strict in discipline. If you transgress you must pay back. For the small things you get small fines. The larger you get the bigger the fine."

"Understand so far – you are a terrorist." Derek again. Hotch put a hand on Morgan's shoulder.

Flanders shook his head. "No no not as such, though terrorists definitely belong to this erm – organisation – it's not exclusive. I for example am not a terrorist. I have never set a bomb, or committed a crime in the name of religion. That's not my thing."

Hotch spoke now. "What is your thing then?"

"I am a disrupter. I get pleasure out of other peoples pain. I enjoy hurting and maiming and occasionally killing, though normally that is just a step I need to take to ensure my own tasks are delivered properly. For example the pilots. It would have been nice to have rescued them as well as Spence, but they would have spoiled my plan. So they had to go. I have set a rocky road ahead for Aaron and Haley. That was something small, something to just amuse myself with whilst Spence was erm – maturing – I suppose you would say."

"You are telling us you are a professional psychopath?" Derek looked slightly bemused by this odd confession.

"I am given tasks, and I fill them. That is my job. That is my purpose. I have tried once to stop it. I really did. I refused an action and I am still paying back for that refusal. Oh and I took something which didn't strictly belong to me, and used it in a way I maybe shouldn't have. Friday would have been the last day. I would have been free, but I needed to make one last payment to the organisation but they watched and they like Spence and so they took him from me. Its their right to do that, I just didn't think they would. Not so close. They have given me no chance to find a replacement. Friday I pay up or cease to exist. You see my dilemma?"

"So you were going to hand over Reid to stop some mob type organisation from killing you?" Hotch's voice was low and incredulous.

"No – they won't kill me. I will stop existing and everything I have done will stop. All my hard work undone. I need that payment. I have to contact them and ask for Spence back."

"So you can hand him back on Friday?" Morgan this time.

"No – I was going to make a deal with them and try to save us both but now I don't think that is possible. I need to talk to them. You have to take me back to the apartment building. It is like a conduit. A crossing of lay lines and such. I need to be there to contact them.."

…………..

He sat alone in the dark. He could still smell her perfume, he could still feel her soft hair in between his fingers and smell the peppermints on her breath. He closed his eyes against the darkness and sobbed. How long had he been there? Minutes or hours? He had no idea now. Just rocking and sobbing.

Faintly in the background of his nightmare he could hear voices.

"He wants you back Spence."

"What do you think? Should we return you?"

"He doesn't deserve you."

"We rather like the thought of keeping you for a while."

"Just until it's too late for him and then we can return you."

"Your choice Spence."

"We can return you and let him use you for the trade."

"Or you can stay here and he will stop existing."

"Can you carry that on your conscience?"

Reid stood up and looked into the darkness. The voices seemed to be coming from all around him. "Who are you? What is this place?"

"You don't need to know."

"You wouldn't understand."

"You though can make a decision. You need to tell us – we took you from him and we healed you."

"We can destroy him."

"You just need to agree to stay with us."

"For a small while."

"Not for too long."

"A trade. Your life for his."

"What do you think?"

Reid was turning in small circles trying to get a fix on the voices. "I don't understand. You want him dead? You took me so you can trade me back? This makes no sense. What did he do to you?"

"He took one of our own."

"We need him gone."

"We need him destroyed."

Something touched Reid's back. He spun around to see a small pointy looking man in black. He would have suited Victorian times better than now. "We can't do it. We need your help."

"My – my help for what?"

"We need you to be the instrument of his destruction."

"You are asking me to kill Flanders?" Reid's voice was raised slightly in a manic pitch.

"Not with your hands, we need you to take something back with you, but you need to agree to it."

"Otherwise it won't work."

"You said," Reid was going through what he thought might be going on. "that I need to request to go back so that he can trade me in with you? Surely then I will just end up being back here with you again. Maybe if just one of you talks to me I can work out what you are asking."

The small man in front of him nodded. "I will talk with you Spencer."

"Who are you?"

"Daja – they call me Daja. It is like this – Flanders is paying us back for a transgression. It would have been quicker had he not along the way continued to sin against us, but he is wayward – he does not listen. Many years ago he committed a sin. He stole from us. For this we demand the pays us back in souls until he has filled the empty place left by him."

"Souls?"

"Don't interrupt. Souls – the spirit which keeps you alive Spencer – the thing which makes you who you are. He has but one last payment to make. His deadline is Friday. You were to be his final payment. A sacrifice to us – he was to hand over one last thing he loves."

"He doesn't love me."

"I think I said something about interrupting. We however do not want the liar and disrupter back within our fold. We have lied to him. Friday he will stop existing and you are going to be the thing he will use to destroy himself."

Reid's mouth came open to say something and then closed again.

"We will permit your return, but you will have to promise us something in payment for this. You will not resist Flanders, you will let him think he has broken you and you will submit to him totally. He must think he is in control. This way he will hand over his last love, and be destroyed."

"You are asking me to give myself to him? You are asking me to lie to him? I can't." He looked down at Daja. "I won't lie to someone to cause their death. I can't do that. I won't do that."

"It's only Flanders. What's your problem? And it's not really a death, he will just pop out of existence. We are all liars Spencer."

Reid stood and stared at this funny looking man. "It won't work. He will know. He will wonder why you are giving me back. I won't do it."

"No no no Spencer, he will come here begging for your return. We will simply give in and return you. Easy. Then all you have to do is comply for couple of days, and I know you enjoy him. I know you like him."

"I am sorry Daja, I won't make a deal with you. I can't do that."

"Then he will win!" Daja seemed to be growing in height. "And you will be instrumental in his victory."

"The thing is this Daja; none of this is actually real. I am in actuality still laying on the washroom floor tied up with the heretic's fork under my chin, so really there is no deal to be made is there? This is an illusion. Some kind of twisted thing you are putting in my head. I won't deal with you and you said it was a lie anyway, and if he trades me he stops existing, so just return me and let him do that."

"You need to shake my hand and make a deal with me boy. You need to be compliant."

"I won't sell myself out for another person. You picked on the wrong man Daja if you thought I would."

"Yes you will. Take this back with you. That way he will know you have been with us. Make sure he takes it from you."

Daja held out a talisman.

Reid shook his head. "No. I won't trick him." But he felt his hand going out palm up, and he felt something deathly cold touch his hand, as the pitch blackness swallowed him and the pain returned.

………………………

Hotch, Morgan and Flanders walked into the ancient building. Flanders stood and looked around him, he looked confused.

"Something is wrong." He broke into a run and hurtled up the stairs, with Hotch and Morgan at his heels.

"Flanders, slow down, what's wrong?" Morgan was shouting.

"Spence is back."

………………………………..

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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	31. Chapter 31 The Talisman

The Talisman

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

They ran following Floyd who seemed to be virtually flying up the stairs to the fifth floor. He stopped so suddenly that Morgan slammed into his back.

"Something is wrong. Why have they sent him back?" Floyd started to walk slowly forwards. "I don't like this. You stay here, I will check it out."

Derek pushed Flanders forwards. "You kidding right? Move it."

Flanders turned and looked at Morgan and sighed. "Certainly. Just be careful. I sense something is not quite right."

They walked cautiously down the corridor which now seemed to be at least five times longer than it had been previously. There were no noises that there shouldn't be, but the smell was dreadful. Floyd stopped again. "It really might be safer for you two to wait. Let me just check the room." He was sniffing the air and rubbing the skin under his nose. "Something is wrong." He whispered. "What have you done?" Again a push in his back from Morgan.

"Flanders," Hotch hissed. "Just keep walking."

He nodded and walked forward and turned to face the door. "Don't touch anything. Don't talk to anything." Slowly raising his fingers to the door and pushing it open. The three of them stood and looked. The room looked the same as when Hotch had left it and a noise, a small whimpering noise.

Floyd was running to the small washroom and pushing the door open. Reid was laying in the filth with the fork at his throat again. His injuries back as they had been. Floyd moved in quickly and unstrapped the fork from Reid's neck and then pulled him close snapping off the cuffs with his fingers.

"Let him go!" Hotch was pulling Flanders out of the way trying to get to Reid. "What has he done to you!"

Even though they had seen the photos and the DVD clips it didn't prepare them for how bad this actually was.

"Floyd." Reid's voice was shaking. "I need to talk to you about something very important."

The trio helped Reid up off the floor and took him to a chair sitting by the wall in the main room.

"What happened?" Floyd was looking into Reid's eyes.

"I was given this." Spencer opened his hand to let Flanders see what he was holding. To Morgan and Hotch it looked like a very old coin. Maybe Arabic by the writing. To Floyd it looked like the Talisman of Shebaroth. He moved his hand forward to take it from Spencer but Reid closed his fingers quickly over it.

"That is for me?" Floyd looked down at the closed hand. "You need to give that to me."

"What is it?" Hotch moved forward and was also looking at Reid's clenched fist.

"The Talisman of Shebaroth. A powerful tool for summoning the dead back to hell. If handed by a mortal to a lesser demon or angel it will immediately call them back to hell. But it cannot be taken. It has to be given." Reid looked up at Floyd. "And I am not giving it."

"Just give him the damned thing Reid." Morgan made to grab Spencer's hand but his hand moved to fast. "Reid give me that thing."

Floyd knelt down on the floor so he was eye level with Reid. "Give me the talisman Spence. It's ok."

"No Floyd, I won't do it. I told Daja I wouldn't do it. I haven't changed my mind."

Floyd was suddenly on his feet and backing away. "Daja gave you that? Shit shit shit. You talked to Daja?"

"What the hell is going on?" Hotch wanted to know.

Floyd was pacing small circles in the room. "The Talisman of Shebaroth Shit shit shit. What else did Daja say?"

"He told me what you did. He told me what they want to do. He told me to give you the talisman." Reid looked him reading his reaction. "I can't do it. I won't do it." He stood up on wobbly unstable legs and they watched him return to the washroom – Flanders was right behind him.

"Spence, what did he say to you? I need to know what Daja said."

Reid reached forwards and opened his hand. The talisman fell and made an oozing plopping sound as it hit the liquid in the toilet and slowly sank beneath the surface. "Hotch, Morgan, I really need to talk to Floyd alone. Give us a couple of minutes."

Hotch and Morgan backed out of the small room. "Reid we are right here."

In a whispered voice "What happened to the back of your head?"

"Derek happened. Don't worry. Tell me what Daja said."

"You need to trade me to them on Friday."

"Yes I know."

"But it is a trick. A double cross, it got very complicated."

"A trick? Tell me."

"If you trade me in you will be destroyed. Let me think – let me think."

Floyd put a hand out to Reid who grabbed it and squeezed. "Destroyed? The trade will free me."

"No no it won't – hush. Your last love. They need you to hand over your last love." The hand squeezed Spencer's then slowly let go.

"I see. I understand. The double crossing sons of whores!"

"But I have to be fully compliant to you for that to happen." His big eyes were looking into Flanders'

"That's why they gave you the talisman. You said you wouldn't comply?"

"Not because they told me to."

"Spence, did you make a deal. Did you shake on anything?"

A shake of the head. "I don't make deals with demons Floyd."

"No I don't suppose you do."

Reid ran fingers down the side of Floyd's face. "I would have come round to your way eventually."

"I was in a rush. I needed to be free again."

"They don't want you back. They called you wayward."

Floyd nodded. "I don't follow their rules too readily."

"Friday – they are going to destroy you, and I think they are going to be pissed with me too."

"I need to talk to them. I need to sort this mess out." Floyd put his hand over Reid's and held tightly onto it. "You really would have come round eventually? This isn't some trick they sent you to do? My last love hey? Nice one." Flanders sighed. "You will be destroyed with me Spence. They wont permit you to live now. Not now. They will kill you slowly and I will watch. This is what will destroy me."

"Oh. Right, well they didn't explain that bit."

"They are liars and deceivers Spence."

"And you are?"

"I am a disrupter. Very different." He looked at Reid who was just looking right back. "It is totally different!"

"Sure it is." A tiny twitch of a grin. "Completely different."

"That's long enough you two." Hotch's voice.

"One more minute." Spencer's voice.

"So Spencer, you see, I can't trade you. I cannot risk taking you back there again. I hurt you." He ran fingers over the black bruises still on Spencer's skin. "I know you don't believe me. I know this is all too late, but I do love you. I'm sorry."

"You should have just given me the talisman Spence."

"I couldn't do that. I'm sorry. In another world, in another time, this could have been very different. I would have loved it to have been different." Spencer moved to Floyd and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"After all I did to you? After all that pain?"

Spencer just had time to look up as the fist met with the side of his head.

……………….

Morgan and Hotch were just beginning to take steps forward to reclaim their agent when he came flying backwards through the door.

"Reid!" Aaron grabbed hold of him as he flailed backwards screaming.

"No! Stop him Hotch – stop him!" Reid knew exactly what Floyd had planned.

The washroom door slammed shut as Derek made to run into the room. The noise from beyond was like nothing any of them had heard before. The screams of a million souls dying and of hundreds being released. The sound so loud that the boards on the windows shook and the floorboards rattled. The sounds of crying and sobbing and begging for mercy, she screeching of every demonic servant crying out in the pain of losing one of their own.

As suddenly as is started it stopped. Reid was struggling to get away from Aaron, who had his arms wrapped tightly around Reid. The washroom door flew open hardly missing Derek's face and a bit of old bent up metal rolled from the room – something ancient – something which looked like an old Arabic coin. It rolled across to where Reid was and juddered to a stop -

- and sighed.

………………….

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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	32. Chapter 32 Malhabarash

Malhabarash

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!!A/N: I support the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!

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**A/N: Names of places and descriptions have been altered as this is a fic and I don't want to alarm or offend any more ppl than I already have. **

**The final chapter.**

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

Reid looked down at what had been the talisman now laying at his feet. He slowly bent down, with Aaron still holding him tightly, and with a funny pop they were both gone.

Derek heard a pop and a sigh and turned around. The room was empty.

"Son of a bitch!" He shouted into the empty room.

……………..

Aaron didn't know how long he had been laying here for. He was only partially dressed. His shirt open at the front, his tie gone, his jacket removed, and his shoes missing. In their place he had manacles. Heavy iron things going to a huge ring in the floor. He carefully moved his head to look around and saw nothing. It was darker than he had ever seen anything. There just seemed to be some sort of disembodied glow around where he was laying. He closed his eyes again because this was not real. This was some drug induced hallucination or nightmare. He would try looking again after he had counted to thirty.

Spencer was attached by one hand to a thick black chain winding across the floor. He sat in the disembodied light and knew exactly where he was. Looking around he could see a slight glow in the far distance but to get there would mean leaving this patch of light and going into that thick velvet blackness, and right now he didn't think he could do that. He hurt inside, but his outside injuries once more were gone. He sat and hugged his knees and waited for Daja – he was sure Daja would contact him.

Twenty-nine, Thirty – Aaron opened his eyes again. He was still here. He had been with Reid. He had been holding on tightly to him. He didn't want to let him go. Not then – not ever. So where was Spencer now?

Spencer started to move. He didn't want to stay here, and he didn't want to go into the dark, but he did want to know where the chain leads to. He stayed on his hands and knees and slowly crawled forwards. The smoothness of the floor seemed to change in consistency as he moved slowly forwards pulling on the chain. Something odd and squelching – popping between his fingers. Bugs and insects crawling over his hands. He tried to push them out of the way but there seemed to be no end to the depth of them. The whole floor was made of different popping squirming creatures. The smell was almost over powering, the feel of them bursting beneath his knees made him whimper softly. He was in hell. This was it now for eternity. He had let Floyd destroy himself to save his own skin, and this was his punishment. Slowly moving on - his hand slipping with the slime and mess he reached out and felt hard floor again. With a sigh he crawled over and knelt finally on the smooth dark floor again.

"Spencer."

The voice so loud and sudden that he let out a small squeak.

"Daja."

"What went wrong? You didn't do what I asked you to do." His voice was cold.

"I told you I wouldn't. I said I wouldn't do that."

"It is Flanders we are talking about, you don't even like him. He tortures you and abuses you. Why can't you do a simple thing like hand him the talisman?"

"Maybe deep down I feel sorry for him. People don't turn out like this for no reason."

"Stupid!" The rush of air and noise from Daja blew Reid off his knees onto his side. "He is not a person. You don't even know his name. You have never seen his true form. That thing you know of as Floyd Flanders is an illusion. You are clever. You are the genius, you know!"

He pulled himself back to his knees. "I don't know. You are going to have to tell me. I do not read minds. I study human behaviour and it would seem demonic behaviour too."

"Flanders is a servant. A minor lesser being. He is a nothing. There are millions more where he came from, but he started to think he was more than nothing. He took something which was not his to take. He is paying us back, and then we will destroy him. This was where you were meant to come in. That was your job."

Reid slowly shook his head. "I won't do it. I told you." He looked back to the darkness he had been travelling in and now deciding to ignore this vision or whatever it was to carry on until he found where the chain lead to.

"He is a servant of Sydonai." The voice hissed.

Reid stopped. His stomach twisted in a tight knot. "I still won't do it."

"You will. You will have no choice."

Reid started to move again. "I have the choice to ignore you."

"But you won't be able to ignore the situation."

………………

Hotch heard something breathing. He could feel it close to his, breathing in uneven shuddering breaths. He kept his eyes closed and pleaded for it to be Spencer. He even visualised how he would look and it was a comfort for as long as it took for Hotch to open his eyes. At first he couldn't work out what it was. Something crouching near to him. Something not quite right about it. Now he begged his mind to take the vision away, and for it not to be Spencer. The form shifted slightly and creaked and sighed. A strong smell invaded his senses; it was a smell of debauchery, a smell of lust, a smell of servitude, a smell of deceit and of Haley. The smell was so heavy and musky that Aaron thought he would pass out. He wanted to ask this thing what it was, but found his speech taken from him.

"You shouldn't be here." The voice could have been that of Flanders, but this voice had a thousand other voices inside it; a thousand screaming voices under the sound of his. "I took the talisman to save Spence. Why are you here?"

Hotch looked over at the form next to him. He was on his hands and knees. Hands which didn't quite look like hands. One of the hands rose and the almost fingers snapped together. Whispers all around him. Hotch tried again to talk.

"He took the talisman."

"This is bad. This is very bad. Where is he?" The voice slowly sounding more and more like Floyd.

"I don't know." A pause. "What is this place?"

"This? Malhabarash- The Hall of Judgements. He will be here. He is here. I can feel him. This is his dwelling."

"Who? Flanders, I don't understand."

"Sydonai." The word came out as a low guttural howl. Flanders seemed to fold into himself as he wrapped his arms around his head. "And Daja." A whisper. "They are here." Floyd seemed to scuttle forwards, the clanking of a chain behind him.

"Can you get us out of here?" Aaron was whispering.

Floyd rattled the chains again. "I am bound – so that is a no."

……………

"Choose." The voice shouting in Reid's ear loud enough Spencer thought it would make his ears bleed.

"I I don't know what – what you are asking me to do." Reid was trying not to sound as terrified as he felt. His body was shaking, his eyes watering – crying in fear – and he continued to crawl forward.

"Choose between them. Your two men. Choose." This was a different voice. It made Spencer stop and look back behind him. A man (?) stood there. Tall and inhumanly beatific. He had the face of an angel and the voice made up of sighs and whisperings. Held between his hands was a lance with a banner hanging from it. Spencer stared and slowly his eyes widened.

"I don't have any m m men. I I I don't know what you are t t talking about."

The creature who seemed to be glowing from behind lifted the banner above his head and spoke in a language Reid had heard before. The voices he had listened to but not understood. High in the sky – a projection, it was grainy and stuttering, but it was clear what it was. Reid's mouth dropped open and he sat back on the floor watching. Hot tears of hurt and loss ran down his cheeks. Aaron.

"St stop it." Reid's voice stuttered.

The creature raised the banner and the picture shifted. Floyd.

"No – please stop."

Little voices – hundreds of little voices sniggering and giggling and laughing. "He's begging!"

The picture shifted again. Reid put his hands to his face and rocked slowly back and forth. Aaron and Floyd.

"You will choose. One has sinned against us, and one against his wife. Both have sinned with you. You Spencer are the problem. You are the one we need to sort out. If you are removed from the equation then Aaron will be happy with his wife, and Floyd will be free. You need to choose. Who do we take back with us Spencer? You – the Home-breaker, Aaron the Unfaithful or is it to be Floyd the Sinner. You can only choose one. Choose one – time is running out."

"I I cannot choose!" Reid was trying to get to his feet – trying to see this creature more on eye level, but something was holding him down. Daja was holding him down.

"Sit still and don't you dare stand in front of Sydonai." He hissed.

"I won't choose." A voice sounding surer than the fear knotting inside of him.

_Is this a psychotic break? Would I even be thinking that if it was? I know none of this is real, so what is it? A nightmare? It is said people can die of fear in their sleep. Is this what is happening? Someone please wake me up, I need to wake up. Where is everyone? Someone wake me. Please someone help me._

The creature turned to Daja, "I think we should send him to his friends, allow a goodbye. Spencer – it will be a pleasure to have you – again."

………………………..

Spencer could feel he was falling again. Falling amongst other things down a dark tunnel. Drifting almost floating, but definitely falling. He hit the floor with a thud and heard the sudden gasps of voices.

"Spencer!" It was Aaron.

"Spence?" It was Floyd.

_This isn't happening. This isn't real. Ignore them. Turn and leave. It is them putting images in your mind. This is not real._

He lay on the floor and looked at the two men.

Floyd moved forwards and touched Spencer gently on his cheek. "It's alright. I chose for you. You don't have to do the choosing. I know what he is asking of you. The decision is made Spence."

Reid closed his eyes tightly. "I am so sorry Floyd."

He now felt a comforting hand on his back and heard Aaron's voice. "I'm here for you Spencer. I am here."

"Don't see this as a goodbye Spence, because it isn't, this is a new beginning. Time to start a fresh. Time for new and exciting things. We can start over."

"Floyd?"

"I'll see you on the other side."

………………….

Reid awoke in bed. He was going to be sick, he was going to be very sick. He rolled over and emptied his stomach onto the bedroom floor boards. He could remember this happening before – a long time ago. He lay looking down at the floor for a while then realised something was not quite right. He was cold. He rolled over onto his back and looked put his hands up so he could see them. They were blood encrusted. He lay staring at them. He couldn't quite remember everything which had happened, but something had. Something bad, and he should be able to remember. As he sat up he noticed that he was topless but drenched in blood and tiny bits of flesh. It was like someone or something had exploded over him. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and met a warm puddle with his left foot. Carefully standing he started to walk to the mirror he had hanging in the hallway. He was almost there when the phone on the hall table rang.

He watched an almost disembodied hand shaking its way to the phone, and he felt himself lift it to his ear.

"H h hello?"

"Keep your eyes open Spence. I'll be waiting. When the time is right, I will be back." And the line went dead.

………………..

**A/N: ****Until next time.**

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!!!Still supporting the 2007 WGA STRIKE!!!

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